Frozen Fire
by Bulletproof Picasso
Summary: Alice Cooper is not what people would call normal. When fate causes her to cross paths with Reed and the others, she finds not only what she is capable of, but, a family. Slow Burn. Rated T for swearing. Trigger Warning: Mentions of abuse throughout.
1. Part One, Chapter One

**Chapter One**

Her name was Alice Cooper.

Most of her life had been spent living up to the expectations her parents had set upon her. Where they lived in a thriving community, she lived constantly in the shadows. She had always been different from the rest of them, even from the day she was born. That was why they treated her differently. Her father quickly taught her that being different was like a crime in itself. Nothing good would ever come out of it if anyone caught her doing anything out of the ordinary.

Her sister was the one who usually gained most of their attention. Being the one who was a model student with high grades, close friends and good looks, Lana always seemed to get everything she wanted, and more. Meanwhile, she was pushed aside as nothing more than the family outcast.

She had quickly learned where she stood in the family circle. Eventually, she'd had enough with their treatment and left. Her father had been more than happy with that decision. After searching for weeks and finally finding a small apartment she could call home in New York City, Alice never looked back at her old life.

The problem with living on her own, as she soon found out, was the cost of living. She could barely afford her rent, let alone pay for food and other necessities. She managed to find a minimum wage job at a local coffee shop that was only a couple blocks from where she lived. Though it wasn't the easiest way of life, at least it gave her a chance to live on her own.

Anything was better than living with the same people who wanted nothing to do with her. She realized with a start that leaving had been one of the best decisions she could make, even if it could get difficult at times.

Alice let out a sigh as she stared at the reflection of a twenty-year-old staring back at her. She'd already tied her curly brown hair into a ponytail, but not before noticing how thin she was. Most people barely paused to notice. She wore baggy clothes to help keep them from getting suspicious that she wasn't eating properly.

 _It's better they don't start asking questions_ , she reminded herself, knowing that would only lead to disaster. The more people who found out about her, the greater dangers they would be in. She kept to herself for a reason. She didn't entirely have control over the abilities that haunted her. Abilities that had proven too dangerous for the public. That was why she always had gloves on. They were somehow able to keep herself from freezing everything she touched.

When her powers first began to develop, she had been terrified. She had no idea what was happening, or why they had begun developing in the first place. The only thing she did know was that they had led to many arguments between her parents and herself. Her father had been determined to prove that she didn't have powers, even though it was painfully obvious. Her skin grew cold to the touch, and she had to wear the gloves to keep herself from freezing everything she touched. She knew the moment anyone discovered her abilities, they would either see her as a monster, or they would try and control her as some kind of weapon.

Even after her powers began to develop, she was terrified of what she could do with them. She could still remember that horrifying night when she nearly killed her sister while losing control. The whole room had been covered in ice. Her sister had collapsed in a pile of snow, blood seeping from a wound caused by an icicle spear.

She hadn't been prepared for the moment, or for the aftermath that would follow. She'd begged her parents for forgiveness. She kept praying that they would one day realize she hadn't meant to hurt Lana. Of course they never believed her. They called her a murderer, along with other horrible names. At that point, she was beginning to wonder if they were right. After all, what sort of human could wield this kind of power? Certainly not someone like her.

She shook her head at the thought as she walked along the streets and towards the cafe. It was a popular hot-spot for tourists and locals. Acting as both a cafe and a small-scale library, she'd seen quite a few famous faces show up. Most of the customers that stopped by were usually friendly and willing to offer large tips when they ordered anything expensive. That made her job a bit more tolerable, especially since she used it as an escape from living in her shabby apartment.

Once Alice reached the cafe in question, she noticed two other employees leaning over the counter with expressions of delight written across their faces. Megan and Tori had been working at the cafe longer than her, and they only worked there to earn a little extra income. This had become her full-time job and it was also the only means of making money.

Most work establishments wouldn't have hired anyone under the age of sixteen. The only reason she was hired when she was had been because she practically begged for the job, and the manager finally took pity on her. After seeing that she was a more than capable employee at his establishment, the manager had also been willing to give her a full time job since there weren't other places that would hire someone as young as she was.

"I can't believe this is actually happening," Megan sighed in contentment when Alice reached the other side of the counter.

She grabbed her apron and tried to ignore their squealing, focusing on what tasks needed to be finished for that day. Though, Alice's curiosity had been peeked when she saw the headlines on Megan's phone.

' _Doctor Reed Richards and Victor Von Doom strike a deal_!'

If there was one person in this city that she didn't trust anymore than her father, it was Victor Von Doom. She had never liked his ego, or the fact that he was on the front page of the paper almost every day.

"It says here that he along with a few other people are going to travel to the Von Doom Space Station," Tori went on, her voice full of excitement as she continued reading the article, "This is the first time anyone's ever done something like this!"

 _Since when were those two ever interested in science_? Alice wondered with a roll of her eyes.

Both Megan and Tori were the type of girls who were into the latest trends. She highly doubted they understood the reasons behind this venture. From what she gathered through the article, Doctor Richards was trying to find out more information about a cosmic storm that happened in space. She had been skeptical about such an occurrence, especially when he mentioned that the storm could have benefits to human biology. If there was one thing she had learned over the years thanks to her powers, it was better not to change the structure of genetic code.

She was familiar with most of the names they'd listed off. Though, the only person she had ever met in person was Doctor Reed Richards. He'd nearly knocked her over one time at a medical convention she was dragged to. When he finally noticed her, her father had noticed as well. Being the upstanding citizen he was, her father had grabbed hold of her before she could further damage his reputation. Though he rarely resorted to abuse while out in public, he would stoop to that level if it meant putting her in her place.

"Can I have a caramel iced coffee?" Alice was shaken from her thoughts when Megan called the order from over her shoulder.

This had to be her favorite part of the job, and the only way she could use her powers in public. Alice had the chance to use them by freezing the drink without using the machine. Most people didn't even bat an eyelash when they watched her preparing the drink. In fact, they added a tip every now and then when she served them their drink. Megan and Tori had been on the vent about how she would often receive extra tips. They'd even complained to the manager about it, but he'd always turn their argument around and claim that tips were generous offers made by the customers. Unless they started getting their acts together, they were stuck with their minimum wage jobs.

"Here you go," she said once she was finished, handing the drink over.

Her eyes widened in surprise when she recognized the costumer in question.

His name was Jacob Matthews, a long-time friend she had gone to school with for years. They had been the best of friends, and they usually did everything together in school. There was even a point where they had talked about taking it the next step. But, Alice didn't want to make things awkward between them, especially if she ever lost control of her powers. As far as she was concerned, Jacob happened to be the only other person in the world who knew about her powers. She preferred keeping it that way when she thought of how difficult it would be to hide from a world that knew about her powers.

She could still remember the day when she first told him about her powers. At first, Jacob had been shocked at what she was capable of doing. But he eventually began to accept that she was different from everyone else. In fact, he thought it was incredible that she had such powers. Alice always hated having to wear the gloves, especially since everyone would question why she wore them even during summer. She did her best to hide them when she could, but there was only so much she could do.

"Hey, Al, how's it going?" he asked with a sheepish grin once their eyes met.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, feeling wary that a visitor happened to stop by at that moment.

"Thought I might stop by and see an old friend," he shrugged, eyes brimming with amusement as she narrowed hers, "Come on; we haven't talked in like what, a month? Figured you could use a friend."

Alice looked around the cafe warily. It was usually dead around this time of the day. Friday nights were usually the busiest times of the week, because they had so much going on. Between trivia, karaoke, and a few other fun things, there was a reason this place was so popular. Alice had quickly learned that that was the best time to work, because she often made some of the best tips. Customers were often amazed with how quickly she finished making their orders, and how efficient she was with them as well.

When they first began working at the cafe, Megan and Tori had been jealous over the fact that she had been given more hours. The problem was, they would never know what it was like to live on their own. From what she had been able to gather, both had parents who worked full-time jobs and made decent paychecks. The only reason they worked in the first place was because they needed to learn 'work discipline', or whatever excuse their parents made.

"Sure," she replied before taking off her apron, "I'm taking my thirty minutes," she called.

Tori and Megan were too busy paying attention to the article to notice as she leaped over the counter with ease. She knew better than to admit out loud where she spent most of her days off. Ever since her father had kicked her out, Alice had been teaching herself self-defense. She spent a lot of free-time in an abandoned warehouse where she could try and practice her powers. The problem was, she still had no way of controlling them. Each and every time she tried reaching her full potential, she nearly destroyed the warehouse in the process.

 _I'm never going to get anywhere unless I learn how to keep them under control_ , she thought bitterly.

A small part of her knew that she would never fully have control over her powers. Her fear of letting them consume her, and of unleashing them upon the world always led to disastrous results. She'd learned over time that her powers were based off of how strongly she felt. The stronger her anxiety or her anger was, the less control she had over them.

Jacob watched with interest as she sat down in the booth across from him. It really had been a month since they last saw each other. His parents had always treated her well. At least, until they found out she had been kicked out of her own home. The moment they found that out was when they changed and decided to cut all ties with her, including Jacob himself. Though, Jacob always managed to find some way of going behind their back just to see her again.

"My dad got a job offer at some company in California," he began once they were both settled.

Alice rose an eyebrow in surprise. His dad had always been a tech-geek. There were plenty of companies that he could have worked for in the city. Apple and Stark Industries had companies located in California, along with numerous others. She knew they had been looking for better-paying jobs outside the city for some time. The last time Jacob had stopped by for a visit was when he said his dad lost a promotion to some younger coworker who managed to weasel his way forward. Alice couldn't necessarily blame them for wanting to move on to a bigger and better career.

"Which company?" she asked curiously.

"He didn't say," he replied, taking a sip of his coffee before setting it down, "All he told me was that it's a higher paying job, and that they're willing to pay for housing costs. That's why he's planning on moving in a week from now. Mom finally agreed with him when she saw how much more he's making compared to the other company."

Her face fell with realization when she understood what that meant. She couldn't imagine her life without her best friend. While they might not have seen each other for a month, that didn't mean she never thought of him. To know that she might never see him again only left her wishing there was more she could do to keep him here. As selfish as it sounded, she wanted to keep at least one friend around that was willing to listen to her.

 _All I've ever known is that I'm just an outsider to the world_ , she thought bitterly.

"And, you're going with them," she sighed, looking down at the table guiltily.

She didn't mean to sound selfish. It just hurt knowing that she wouldn't have anyone in her life. She had no family. Her one and only friend was moving away and he would likely forget her with his new life. It happened to everyone eventually when they drifted on in their lives. Her own life would never amount to much when she thought about it. Not unless she somehow got lucky and found enough money to go to college. She could barely afford her rent let alone pay for classes and books.

Jacob took her by surprise by clasping his hand around hers. He knew why she wore the gloves. It wasn't just for the protection of those around her. She couldn't afford to give herself away and let the government find out. That would only end in disaster.

"Alice, the last thing I want is to leave you," he said as if he'd read her thoughts. She flinched at the look he gave her. After everything she'd put him through, along with everyone else she cared about, she wouldn't blame him for wanting to leave, "Look, I tried talking things over with my dad. Maybe we can work things out… maybe you could go with us."

She couldn't hide the ghost of a smile that followed at his encouraging words.

"Jacob, be honest with yourself," she murmured, pulling her hand back, "I don't think your parents would ever approve of my staying with you, or them."

He simply returned the gesture with a sad smile of his own. Truth be told, they would never let her anywhere them if they had a say in the matter. She couldn't be trusted with people, as far as they were concerned. His parents had lost whatever trust they had in her when they discovered that she had powers that were so dangerous. While she understood why his parents were so protective of him, it still hurt to know that they thought she would hurt Jacob on purpose.

"You're my best friend, Alice," he reminded her, "I'm always going to be there for you, no matter what."

 _That's what they all say_ , she thought bitterly.

She tried pushing the thought aside. Thinking about it wouldn't get them anywhere. Besides, if Jacob was willing to keep in touch with her when he moved away, she wouldn't deny him that. She tried keeping herself upbeat. This was good for him and his family.

"You'll have to let me know if you get a good tan while you're there," she said.

Her response earned a look of surprise from Jacob when he realized she was willing to accept that change.

He could only grin at that. They had jokingly called themselves the pale-skinned freaks because they were both pale as ghosts. Neither had ever really spent any time out of the city, aside from trips the school would send them on. Alice herself was already naturally pale because of her powers, and she doubted she would ever get the tan that most women dreamed of.

"God, I'm gonna miss your sense of humor," he laughed as they both stood up.

"I'm going to miss you too, Jacob," she whispered back.

Her heart began to sink as they both stood up. Jacob didn't waste another second wrapping his arms round her in a tight embrace, as if he knew that this was likely the last time they would see each other in person.

Most people shied away from the cold sensation she gave off. Jacob was one of the few who chose to ignore it. She could never thank him enough for being such a good friend, and for putting up with her for all these years. She wasn't the easiest person to get along with simply because she didn't trust too many people. Jacob was one of the few people who saw her as more than just a monster or a freak with powers.

Once Jacob parted ways with her, Alice couldn't help but feel more alone than ever in that moment. She knew it was better she didn't make any friends. The more people she knew, the higher chances she had of hurting them in the end. It was always better this way.

* * *

 **AN: So, I finally got around to rewriting the first part of this story. I plan on rewriting all of my stories, except for Five Times. This one, however, is in desperate need of an overhaul. It'll probably be darker, and rated T for language, along with numerous other reasons. Please, let me know what you think of this rewrite! Reviews are greatly appreciated!**


	2. Part One, Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

" _There is no word yet on the exposure that Victor Von Doom and the rest of his team have endured during their time in space… the details are still a little fuzzy, but reporters are on the verge of reaching him as we speak…_ "

The radio switched off as an icicle spear went flying into a nearby target. After hearing about the most recent tragedy revolving around Victor Von Doom's role in the space station, Alice needed something to vent off her frustration. She found that target practice to be the best way of doing so. Even if there was the risk of losing control, at least she could do so in the warehouse where no one else would get hurt.

The warehouse itself was a place that had been abandoned years ago. She found it a couple of years ago after moving out of her parent's place. Once she discovered the usefulness of the warehouse, she kept coming back in the hopes that it wouldn't be demolished. Since most warehouses were either converted into apartment complexes or demolished to be replaced with something new and better, she wanted to make sure that this one was kept out of the hands of such property owners.

A whole week had gone by since that incident. Word spread fast about the accident that ruined Victor's life and likely anyone else exposed to that storm. Alice could only imagine what those people were now going through, if they had survived at all. She knew that the innocent lives at stake would not sit well on Victor's shoulders. Lawsuits were already being pushed on him for reckless endangerment, along with numerous other charges.

Alice let out a heavy sigh as she stopped and slipped her gloves back on. Most of the wall in front of her was now covered in ice. She had been at this for about an hour before she needed to leave. After hearing this bit of news and attending her sister's recital later that night, she would need all the anger management she could get. Meeting her family again after they'd kicked her out was awkward enough. But her father always expected so much more than she could provide. He always seemed to think that her powers would somehow go away if he continued pretending they didn't exist. But she knew otherwise. They weren't going to diminish on her, and she doubted she would ever get the chance at living a normal life.

 _Why are they making me put up with this_? she wondered as she remembered the last time she had been around her parents. Her father had never been kind to her to begin with. After finding out what she nearly did to her sister though, he'd changed his attitude towards Alice completely. She knew their treatment towards her was anything but fair. Yet, she didn't have the courage or the strength to fight back. Not when she knew what she was capable of.

She tried pushing the thought aside. When it came to her family, it was impossible to explain why they did the things they did. Her father had a reputation to uphold. Her mother just went along with it because she had nowhere else to go. As for her sister, well Lana loved sucking in the attention they gave her. That was part of the reason Lana seemed to reach for whatever expectations their parents placed on her shoulders. Lana was the perfect daughter any parent could ask for, whereas Alice was the one who they frowned upon.

Things had only gone from bad to worse by the time the recital was over. Alice had been trying to make a run for it when she was confronted by her father. With most of the crowd congratulating Lana for finally getting accepted into Julliard, it gave Alice the perfect distraction she needed to get away. Unfortunately, life never worked out the way Alice would have preferred as she felt a hand grip her own.

"Where do you think you're going?" her father sneered after catching her. Alice grimaced at the face he made when she turned to face him. Of all the people she feared the most, it was her father. He had a way of intimidating people, and he often did so without hesitation. She was no stranger to the constant punishments he would give her if anything went wrong when she was involved, "You aren't even dressed for this kind of society."

He added the last part with a scowl when he eyed her choice of clothing up and down. Alice nearly rolled her eyes at that. She wasn't exactly able to afford the kind of clothing that he had in mind, so she normally resorted to wearing a hoodie or a long-sleeved shirt and jeans. Besides, the clothing she had on hid the scars that he'd left long ago before she was kicked out. She knew if anyone saw them, they would begin to question where the scars had come from, and why she was going out of her way to hide them, along with how thin she was.

"Then why bother inviting me to this if you're so embarrassed by my appearance?" she snapped. "It's clear that you don't give a damn one way or another what happens to me so long as the world doesn't know we're related."

Her mind was already racing as she tried to control her emotions. If she lost control here now, it would only justify what her parents and everyone else thought of her. The last thing she wanted was to give them more reasons to hate her. Her father had always called her out because of her powers. And if she lost control now, she could already imagine what he would do to her.

"Because, whether I like it or not, you're still family," her father retorted through what sounded like gritted teeth. He was clearly unhappy with that notion. It was almost as if her very existence was nothing more than a waste of time for him, "And I've got a reputation to uphold."

There it was. The excuse he used every time when it came to making her life a living hell. A lump formed in the back of Alice's throat as she glared at him. She never did understand why he insisted on inviting her to these events if he did have a reputation to uphold. If he was so afraid of revealing her identity to the rest of the world, then he should have known better than to invite her. She did have better things to do than waste her time listening to him scrutinize her very appearance.

"Look, say what you want about me, but I'm done going to these 'special events'," she said, narrowing her eyes when he scoffed as if he didn't expect that kind of response, "You obviously don't give one crap about me, so why should I bother putting up with you?"

"You don't talk to me like that, young lady!" he fired back, voice raising as people began to notice their argument, "I am the one who made you! You _belong_ to me!"

She felt her heart sink even lower when her father moved to slap her across the cheek. No one bothered stepping in to pull him back. No one bothered calling him out for abuse. She didn't expect them to. Instead, she endured the hit and felt a sting where he'd slapped her. She had gotten so used to her father's reactions that she wasn't even surprised with what he did. Instead, she narrowed her eyes with hate and refused to make eye contact with him.

What she did next would change her life for the worse. Her father was taken by surprise when she grabbed him by the wrist. Her eyes were still narrowed with hate when she glared back and pushed him to the floor, hard. She ignored the appalled looks everyone else gave them when her glove slipped off in the process, leaving blue marks along his wrist. She was tired of putting up with the horrible treatment she endured from him. Each time they confronted each other, it always seemed to end in chaos like this. Tonight was no different as her father looked at her with renewed horror and disgust.

"I belong to no one," she retorted in a voice that seethed with anger. "I'm done letting you control my life."

Alice didn't give her father a chance to say something back. She spun around and pushed her way through the crowd that slowly began building as more people saw what happened. The moment she left that building was when Alice realized too late what she did.

 _What is wrong with me_? she thought bitterly, suddenly wishing a hole would open up and swallow her. She really was nothing more than a freak. Someone who would never belong in this world, just like her father always claimed.

She understood the gravity of the situation as she continued walking, all too aware that a cab was out of the question. Her life had already been in shambles before this happened. Now that people knew what she could do, they would try and lock her up. She would always be on the run once her father gave her away. She had no doubts he would stoop to that level.

Her legs trembled at the thought when she reached the Brooklyn Bridge. There were so many times in life when she thought of just ending it. Maybe her life would have been better that way. She knew that was never the easy way out life, but at least she couldn't hurt anyone else in the process.

"Hey! You think you've got problems? Take a good look, pal." Alice froze at the sound of a deep, grated voice. She turned to see someone sitting on the bridge nearby. While they were wearing a cloak, she could see that they were bigger than the average human. A man stood nearby, dressed in a work suit while shakily holding a suitcase that must have carried his life's work. Her eyes widened in surprise when she noticed for the first time the stranger in the cloak looked as if he was made of some strange, orange stone-like material. "I said, stop!"

The tall guy had gotten up as the man in the suit stumbled closer to the edge, flinching in fear. Her body reacted faster than her mind, lunging towards the man who was about to slip and fall. His eyes widened in terror when he finally noticed they weren't alone.

"P-Please, don't let that thing near me!" he stammered as she struggled to pull him up.

He was heavier than she expected, and she realized with a start that they were both slipping.

"That's a bit rude, don't you think?" she snapped, knowing the taller guy could have just as easily hurt the terrified man if he had his way. She flinched after feeling someone tap her shoulder, turning slightly to see the guy in question standing behind her, "I can't hold on much longer!"

The guy helped pull the man in the suit up until he was back on his feet. Suit-guy wasted no time in running into traffic, too disoriented and terrified to care where he went. Alice only rolled her eyes at the sight as she realized he was probably terrified of the both of them.

Of course, things didn't get much better when a tractor trailer skidded to a stop to avoid hitting the guy running into traffic. The bigger guy stepped in front of the truck, slamming his shoulder into the truck before it could cause more damage until it skidded to a stop.

This day just kept getting better and better. Alice let out a sigh of frustration when she noticed the oil spilling from the truck as it careened to its side. Cars skidded to the side as cops arrived moments later to a chaotic scene. The whole bridge had changed from a peaceful night of walking to that of chaos, and Alice was caught in the middle of it.

"Who are you?" the tall guy turned to face her.

"Alice," she replied, grimacing when she felt his gaze boring through her, "Alice Cooper."

 _I shouldn't have gotten involved_ , she reminded herself. Now there was no escaping the curious, fearful looks of people watching from the background. She couldn't help but cringe at the thought, knowing that she wouldn't be able to escape so easily if there were cameras involved. If word got out to the press that she had powers and that she had been involved with this incident, they would never leave her alone.

"Name's Ben Grimm," the tall guy introduced himself after noticing she hadn't shown much fear around him. She'd already gotten used to her fair share of the weird and unusual circumstances of her life. Alice watched with interest as he turned his attention back to the truck driver. "Sorry, 'bout that, bud," he apologized as the truck driver tried freeing himself, "You mind unbuckling your seat belt?"

She couldn't help but wince as the cops began surrounding them just as the truck driver frantically fumbled with his buckle. It was stuck, and it took the two of them to free him from his situation. The cops were already demanding that Ben put the truck driver down. Still holding onto the seat itself, Ben did just that when Alice noticed a little girl standing in the middle of the crowd.

Panic swept through her when she noticed that sparks erupted from the truck when Ben dropped it. She ran faster than she thought possible; the only thoughts running through her mind was to protect the girl from the flames that began erupting from the sparks. She knew she would never forgive herself if someone wasn't there to protect her. None of these people asked to be part of this mess, and she couldn't help but feel as if she was somehow responsible for starting it.

The panic only worsened as she felt a sharp pain from the heat of the fire. Not for the first time, she wondered why she was putting herself through this. Fire and ice never mixed well together, as far as she was concerned.

"I can't control it," she whispered after wrapping her arms around the girl to protect her from the intense heat.

Her eyes squeezed shut as she felt her powers beginning to spiral out of control. It wasn't until she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her that she stopped. Alice blinked a few times when she realized that the heat had died down. Instead, she felt a swell of warmth from whoever was holding both her and the little girl.

"Are you okay?" a blond guy, tall and muscular, stood in front of her after the flames died down.

She couldn't stop the heat from rushing to her cheeks as she recognized who he was. Though it had been likely out of sheer instinct, the fact that he helped her in the first place left her feeling more embarrassed than she would ever admit out loud.

"I-I'll be fine," she stammered.

The ends of her hair was still smoking from where the fire threatened to kill them both. Alice didn't leave from her spot until the girl was reunited with her mother, who looked frantic beyond belief.

 _So much for staying out of the action_ , she thought bitterly. She wasn't expecting any of this to unfold when she spotted a firetruck flying down the bridge.

One of the firefighters happened to be clinging to the ladder when it slid loose from its hinges and almost fell over the edge of the bridge. Alice felt her stomach drop at the sight. She knew the longer she stayed, the higher risks she had at getting caught by the police surrounding the area. That hadn't stopped her from trying, though.

"You're the freak they were talkin' about over the radio," one of the cops finally noticed her and grabbed her wrist. Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she guessed what he was referring to, "You've got a lot to answer to, kid."

"Please, those people need help!" she snapped as she desperately tried to pry herself free from his grip while glancing in the direction of the firefighters.

 _Figures that my father would use this as a ploy for the cops to get their hands on me_ , she nearly rolled her eyes at the thought after realizing he was the one who likely gave them the lead.

The cop merely ignored her plea; it was just another painful reminder that these people would eat her alive when this was over. Swallowing hard, Alice knew she had no choice but to use her powers against him. She did the only thing she could think of to escape their grasp.

"You're comin' with us!" the cop shouted back, unnerved by the glare she threw him.

She didn't bat an eyelash as she lifted her glove just enough to aim the palm of her hand in front of him. The cop stopped dead in his tracks when he tried pulling out his gun. Just as he managed to try and pull the trigger, he realized that he couldn't. A thick coating of ice began to cover the handle, along with the barrel of the gun.

"I'm sorry, about this," she whispered before putting her glove back on.

She turned in time to see that the fireman had been saved. Relief swept through her as she noticed that while he was shaken from being rescued, at least he and the others were safe. Though it also left her with the realization that she would need to explain why the cop's guns had been frozen solid. She winced at the thought as she tried running multiple explanations in the back of her mind. At that point, Alice knew it was pointless to try and escape. These people had seen everything she could do, and running away now of all times wouldn't make things better.

"Are you okay?"

Alice flinched when she recognized the voice of the blond guy once more. Johnny Storm. He was nothing more than a reckless playboy. Women idolized him. Alice heard enough stories to know that he was one person to avoid at all costs. The other two who were joining him were a different story.

"I think you have some explaining to do."

She refused to look up as she spotted Doctor Reed Richards. She couldn't. Not after freezing that gun and nearly losing control. The woman standing beside him frowned when she noticed just how shaken Alice looked. She was ready to say something when the crowd began splitting up.

Another woman emerged from the crowd. Alice finally looked up, narrowing her eyes when Ben stepped forward, as if he recognized the woman looking at him with fear in her eyes. She did something that caused Alice's heart to wrench with pity. She held out what Alice assumed was a ring, and she put it on the ground in front of him.

He leaned forward, desperately trying to pick the ring up as the woman shook her head and turned to leave. Alice couldn't help but look in Ben's direction as she moved forward, bending down to pick up the metal band. Ben looked at her in surprise, despite the obvious pain from that moment as she placed the ring in the palm of his hand.

"I swear to you, I will do everything in my power, until there's not a breath left in me – you're gonna be Ben Grimm, again," Reed promised.

Ben gave him a stiff nod before turning to look at Alice. She recognized the look flashing across his eyes. A silent plea that everything would go back to normal, and he'd have his old life back. She knew that look all too well. She understood full-well what he was going through.

"Thanks, kid," he whispered as she gave him a much needed hug.

"Do you know her?" Reed asked in surprise as the others looked equally stumped.

"Name's Alice, right?" Ben looked at her curiously as she backed away and refused to make eye contact.

She was surprised that he hadn't shied away from the piercing cold of her skin. Most people refused to make any physical contact because of that.

"Yes," she nodded, her voice tight with wariness, "My name is Alice Cooper." She paused for a moment, "We met once, at a convention in the city."

She glanced in Reed's direction, and though she didn't make eye contact, he seemed to register a faint memory of running into her, literally.

"You froze that cops gun, didn't you?" the woman who looked like she could pass for Johnny's twin sister – Susan Storm – asked.

"I'd rather not talk about it," she muttered, looking down at the ground once more. "I'm not exactly proud of what I can do."

Reed looked at her thoughtfully. She knew she was leaving a lot out, and she would likely have to explain herself before she was given a chance to move and change her name. She was relieved though, when he decided to leave it be for now. It had been a long enough night as it was. She suspected that they weren't going to give in so easily once the mess was cleared out on the bridge. And Alice was dreading the moment when she would have to explain where her powers came from. Because even she didn't know the truth. The only thing she did know was that they were the reason behind this mess, and that her life had gone from bad to worse.


	3. Part One, Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

The eerie calm after the storm wasn't enough to soothe her already frayed nerves. Alice sat farthest away from the group. She chose to keep well away from them, instead, watching as Johnny flirted with two nurses at the same time. His attitude towards women wasn't helping the situation. She wouldn't speak unless she was spoken to, something that hadn't gone by unnoticed by Reed. Her refusal to say a thing had caught Ben's attention, along with Susan's.

From what she was able to gather, the storm in space had given them their powers. Alice only got bits and pieces of the conversation Reed had with one of the cops. He was able to get them to back off after they started insisting that _she_ be taken in. She knew it wouldn't be long before they all left her, and, the cops would jump at the opportunity to throw her in some prison. It wasn't until Reed had asked for some privacy that Alice knew he had more than a few questions regarding her powers.

"So, where exactly did you get those powers?" he asked once they were alone.

Again, Alice refused to make eye contact. Even _she_ didn't have an answer to that question. Her parents always said that she was nothing more than a monster. Ever since she hurt Lana, she couldn't help but wonder if they were right.

What good was having the ability to freeze anything she touched? She'd hurt countless people without meaning to.

"I don't know," she finally answered, earning a look of surprise from Reed, "I've had these powers for as long as I can remember."

Reed looked as if he was about to say something else, when the fireman from earlier poked his head through the tent flaps. Alice narrowed her eyes at the thought of being surrounded by unfamiliar people again. She had already almost lost control once. Doing so again was something she would rather avoid at all costs.

"We're not going public," Reed insisted with a shake of his head, "We're scientists, not celebrities."

"It's too late, son. Look."

A lump formed in the back of Alice's throat as the fireman walked over to a nearby television screen and turned it on.

It showed a video feed of what had happened on the bridge. Horror swept through Alice when she noticed the camera had focused on her longer than she would have liked. The camera had recorded her freezing the gun the cop had been holding. Reed threw her a look when he noticed her expression.

Even if he didn't know about her fear of being caught in the middle of everything, he did seem to understand that she wanted nothing with this extra attention. All she wanted was to live a normal life where the rest of the world would ignore her. Now, she had a feeling that was never going to happen. Her life had already been in shambles as it was. Knowing that she had been involved with this mess only made it that much worse.

 _What the hell am I going to do with myself when this is over_? she wondered, frowning at the thought. There were only so many places she could hide without people figuring out who she was. A shiver swept through her as she imagined what would happen when people discovered who she was and what she was capable of. They would never leave her alone.

"See that?" he asked, gesturing to the reporter who likely stood outside where they were currently situated.

" _But the rescue itself is not the story. One of the four stretched to an amazing length_ —"

"That's what they're calling you – The Fantastic Four," the fireman explained.

Relief swept through Alice when she noticed they hadn't mentioned her part in this. It meant she had a chance of escaping the city. She could change her name and make a new life for herself. Anything was better than being hunted down by the same people she once called family. Her father wasn't going to hesitate to do so once this was all over. She had already seen and endured what he was capable of when they weren't out in public. She couldn't help but shudder at the thought of what would happen when he found her again.

"Cool," Johnny grinned like a Cheshire cat.

Alice nearly rolled her eyes at the sight as he pushed his way past her. The moment his shoulder made contact with hers was when that familiar sensation left her teeth grinding together in pain. She bit back a yelp, jumping back when Susan, who preferred being referred to as Sue, went over to stop Johnny from causing more damage. It was clear that he didn't give a damn what the others thought of this mess. Johnny seemed like the kind of person who soaked in the attention, and something told Alice that was going to backfire on him eventually.

"Where are you going?" Sue demanded as she walked after her brother.

"I'm gonna talk to them," Johnny replied.

He jerked his thumb towards the reporters as if to prove a point. Not for the first time, Alice had to wonder how someone like him had become so popular. He really was as much of a jerk in real life as the media made him out to be. There was a reason why she tried avoiding people like him. After seeing the way Lana soaked in whatever attention was given her, she wanted nothing to do with people like them.

"No, we should think this through," Sue snapped.

"That's great," Johnny muttered before turning back to the exit. "Brainstorm."

Sue looked between Reed and the area where Johnny disappeared, desperation written across her face. Alice had a feeling that Johnny would soak in the limelight, just like her sister. Both were attention seeking assholes who would feel deprived if they weren't on the spotlight.

"Is he always that obnoxious?" she muttered under her breath, earning a look of amusement from Ben while Reed and Sue went after Johnny.

"You and I are gonna get along great, kid," he chuckled with a shake of his head.

Alice followed Reed and Ben out of the tent, only to find blinding lights flash before her eyes. She held up her hand and waited until Johnny finally had them settled down. They were more interested in Reed and the others to notice her, much to her relief. The last thing she wanted was to be caught in the limelight, especially if she planned on leaving this city.

"Do you believe this?" Johnny asked, glancing at Reed with one of the biggest grins on his face.

The same fireman from earlier approached them again.

"Which of you is the leader?" he asked, and Johnny didn't hesitate to answer.

"That would be me," he replied.

"I'll believe that load of bull when I see it," Alice scoffed.

She crossed her arms in annoyance when Johnny's smirk faded at her comment. The firefighter seemed just as hesitant, clearly aware that Johnny was the last person who should be leading the so called team.

"No, seriously." Reed finally reluctantly stepped up, putting Johnny in his place as he introduced himself. "Okay son, you're on."

Alice tried hiding herself behind Ben when a few cameras were pointed in her direction. She felt her heart sinking even lower as she wondered if these people would ever leave her alone when this was over. Something in the back of her mind told her she would never truly be free.

"Uh," he began before clearing his throat, "during our recent mission to the Von Doom space station, we were exposed to an as-of yet unidentified radioactive energy."

Questions upon questions were asked after that. Alice found herself cringing at the thought of answering them all. Fortunately, everyone seemed so focused on the new team to notice her. Johnny had already claimed that he was working on flying, while Sue tried to calm them down. She hadn't missed the fact that Ben was hiding himself from the crowd while the others answered every question that was asked. Alice tried doing the same, knowing that nothing good would come out of being placed on the spotlight.

"What about her?" one of the reporters suddenly asked, regarding Alice with a nod.

She flinched once more as she felt all eyes landing on her. Alice tried hiding herself once more when Johnny simply grinned and stepped to the side. She hated being the center of attention. Attention was a bad thing as far as she was concerned. The more people began focusing on her, the more they would begin to see how dangerous she truly was.

"We have no idea who she is," Johnny tried intervening, earning a piercing glare from her.

"I'd rather keep it that way," she whispered.

"But she has powers just like you," said another reporter in an accusing tone. "Was she on the space station with you?"

Fear threatened to overwhelm Alice when she found herself fumbling for answers. She couldn't explain herself even if she wanted to. Her mind began churning with anxiety as she felt the air around her grow colder.

 _Don't lose control_ , she scolded herself silently. _Don't lose control_.

She had to keep telling herself that. It was the same mantra she kept telling herself whenever she could feel her powers slipping out of control. Though, it didn't help when she was put under stressful situations like these. That had been one of the many reasons she hated being surrounded by large crowds. The whole thing could end in disaster if she ended up losing control. And the last thing she wanted was to hurt anyone without meaning to.

"She doesn't have to answer any questions," Ben snapped before the reporters got any worse.

The looks they gave him were priceless. She knew they were terrified of him just because of his appearance. While she was touched with the fact that Ben stood up for her, that didn't make her feel any better about the way they were staring at the both of them. She was fully aware of the fact that they saw herself and Ben as nothing more than freaks. That knowledge left her blood boiling with anger. She'd dealt with those judgemental glares enough in her lifetime to understand what it felt like.

"Excuse me, but you don't look entirely fantastic yourself," another reporter said to Ben.

Alice shot dagger-like glares at the reporter, causing him to flinch.

 _I'd freeze you on the spot for saying something like that_ , she thought angrily. Though she didn't enjoy hurting people on purpose, that didn't mean she would jump to someone's defense if they demanded it. After seeing what Ben had already gone through in their short time knowing each other, she realized that they had more in common than she first thought.

"Ben Grimm is a genuine American hero," Reed replied before she could say that out loud.

Then, Johnny suddenly chimed something in.

"What he means is, every team needs it's mascots," he said cheekily and threw his arm over Ben's shoulder. The reporters started laughing at that, and Alice only rolled her eyes. "A new day is dawning. The day of the Fantastic Four!"

The reporters went wild after that. They started taking pictures and tried asking more questions until Reed managed to silence them.

"Look, look," he started, catching their attention once more, "we went to space to find a way to understand DNA, cure diseases, and save lives. Well, now it's our DNA, our 'disease', our lives on the line. Thank you."

…

A cop car had pulled up and provided escort through the crowd that was gathered around them. Alice was more than surprised when Reed had asked her to go with them. She was half tempted to go back to her apartment. But she knew it wouldn't be safe now, not when everyone knew what she could do. It was too late to go back and change the fact that the media caught her on camera. By now, it was more than likely that her image had been plastered across the world along with the rest of the group.

The car reached the Baxter building in a few minutes. Alice remembered seeing this building when she was younger. She along with a group of students had taken a tour of the building. At the time she never gave it much thought. But seeing it now made her realize just how much her life had changed. She never pictured herself ever living in the building. But Reed's offer was more tempting than she wanted to admit out loud.

She hadn't missed the fact that Sue and Reed were quietly discussing her future. Right now, she was too exhausted to bother reminding them that she'd been on her own long enough to know how to survive. Her head leaned back against the truck. She'd given everyone else in the car a wide birth. It was safer that way. Instead of speaking out, she squeezed her eyes shut and tried to ignore the voices ringing around her.

"… Can't just leave her," she heard Sue whisper after Johnny had the audacity to suggest they drop her off somewhere, "The media's going to eat her alive if they find her alone."

"Not to mention we have no idea who she really is, or where she got her powers," Reed put in. "I'm willing to bet that she has some kind of connection with that cosmic cloud."

A shiver swept through her when she realized what Reed meant by that. She shouldn't have been there in the first place. None of this would have happened if she kept to herself and ignored them. Instead, she let instinct kick in and she helped people.

Once she climbed out of the car, she thought of making a run for it. Alice had a feeling that Sue was right about the media. Reporters would go crazy trying to figure out what she could do. Or worse, they would use it as a way to get her arrested, just like her parents wanted. A shiver of dread swept through her at the thought. She could already imagine the millions of people who would call her out for what she really was.

A truck was what had brought Ben to the building. Once again, pity swelled within Alice as she watched the crowd gasp in shock. She immediately rushed over to his side, ignoring the looks everyone gave her. She could care less what he looked like. It was the heart that counted, nothing more, and nothing less.

"Come on Ben, smile," Johnny said as he walked up beside them. "They wanna like you, bud. Say hi."

He pointed towards a group of children. They all gasped when Ben looked at them warily.

"Uh… don't do drugs," he told them reluctantly.

She watched in amusement as the group of kids gaped at him. A small part of her thought Ben was lucky. At least he had control over what he could do. She, on the other hand, was constantly afraid of losing control and hurting someone in the process.

She stopped when an old man with white hair and a suit approached them. Reed was greeted with a pile of bills.

"Tough year?" she asked while Sue and Johnny eyed them suspiciously.

"We had a few tough months," Reed tried reassuring them.

"Yeah, try nine," Ben called to him.

The elevator was already beginning to feel crowded until Ben got in. For a while it didn't even move and started to make strange sound. That didn't sound good. Alice had already seen the Tower of Terror, and she was afraid something similar might happen here.

"Either we're moving really fast, or not at all," Johnny stated until the doors suddenly slid open.

Ben only sighed in frustration.

"I'll take the stairs," he muttered.

Just as the doors started to close, Alice decided to run after him. The guy looked like he could use a friend. She knew all too well what it was like to feel alone and unwanted. Ben looked at her warily as they started walking up the stairs.

"I'm sorry about your… wife," she started, chewing the bottom of her lip at the uncomfortable subject.

Ben let out a sigh and carefully pulled out the ring from his pocket.

"Why are you so concerned about me?" he asked.

Alice looked down at the stairs thoughtfully. She never gave it much thought until then. Often times, she wondered why she did what she did. There were so many opportunities she had to make her life better. To run away from everything, and turn her back on everyone.

"I guess… because I know what you're going through," she replied, her voice quiet.

"You know what it's like to be looked at as some kind of monster?" he scoffed in surprise.

She winced and refused to make eye contact once more. If he noticed the look of hurt flashing across her eyes, he gave no indication.

"Yes," she whispered. "I've never had control over my powers… and I accidentally hurt my sister when I lost control. My parents, they always said I was a monster. I'm beginning to wonder if they were right."

She let out a quiet sigh, flinching when she felt a firm hand on her shoulder. His grip was gentle, but firm enough to show that he understood what she meant by that. She couldn't help but lean into him, feeling the weight of guilt, exhaustion, and everything else sweep through her in that one moment.

"I'm sorry, kid," he said.

A shiver ran through her once more as she simply nodded in response. The silence that followed was strangely comforting. Neither of them said much after that, until they reached the floor that Reed called home.

Not for the first time, she found herself wondering what she would do with her life when this was over. She knew she would already be nothing more than a burden to them. The last thing she wanted was to make things worse by staying.

It wasn't until noticing the lights flickering on and off that Alice was shaken out of her thoughts. She shared a look of concern with Ben. Someone had been yelling in the background. The sound reminded her too much of her father, and the way he treated her.

Her eyes narrowed when she spotted someone walking through the hallways with a step of determination. Victor Von Doom. She'd only seen pictures and videos of the man. Seeing him in person only proved what she first thought of him. He made her father look like a saint, and, that was saying something.

"And you must be the _freak_ they've been talking about." The sneer in Doom's voice was enough for her to glare back. 'Freak' was just another term she had gotten used to over the years. "I was more than surprised when Reed offered to let you stay here. You must have some kind of power that he's interested."

"Is there a problem?"

Ben's voice made Doom stop before he could say anything else. Alice held back a sigh of relief as the tension started to build again. Doom looked at them both hesitantly before finally answering.

"No. No problem here, Ben." The elevator dinged behind him, and the lights started flickering once again. "Just pay your damn electric bill and get to working on finding a cure," he snapped to Reed.

"He's an even bigger asshole than I imagined," she scoffed in disbelief once he was gone.

Reed just let out a sigh of frustration, shaking his head in grim amusement. She had no idea just how right she was. Once the tension died down, he turned to look at Alice.

"There's a place for everyone to stay, including you," he explained before looking at Sue, "Would you mind showing it?"

Sue gave a nod and gestured for Alice to follow. The back of her mind was already beginning to debate whether it was safe to follow. She knew she wouldn't stay – the risks of staying were too high. If she lost control here, she could hurt these people in the process.

"I'll make sure I'm gone by morning," she murmured once they reached the room in question.

Sympathy clouded her eyes as Sue turned to look at Alice, "Hey, you don't have to go anywhere," she reassured her, kneeling down so that they were within eye-level. Even then, Alice refused to make eye contact, "Reed's offering a place for everyone to stay until the media hype dies down."

Alice stared at Sue for a few moments, realizing how generous that sounded. It was almost too good to be true. She only shook her head and glanced at the room; it was already twice the size of her shabby apartment.

"I can't stay," she sighed, looking away once more, "It won't end well, for anyone, if I stay."

That was when Alice noticed something flash in Sue's eyes. It wasn't a look of sympathy, it was a look of _pity_.

 _I don't need your pity_ , she tried arguing silently.

She pushed the thought aside, knowing that doing so wouldn't get her anywhere. Sue was only acting on instinct.

"Just stay for one day," she suggested. "You can leave after that."

She nearly rolled her eyes as she thought of a hundred reasons to argue at that moment. She knew that leaving now wouldn't be the wisest choice to make. The Baxter Building had been crawling with crowds of people, and with reporters dying to ask questions. If she went out now, she suspected she would be ambushed the moment she left the building.

When she looked in Sue's direction, the older woman simply offered a small smile as she reluctantly nodded. Alice realized that arguing wasn't the best option. So instead, she turned back to the room that Reed had offered and she threw herself onto the bed, surprised by how comfortable it was compared to her old bed. The moment her body hit the bed was when a fresh wave of exhaustion crashed over her. And it didn't take long for sleep to finally overcome her when her eyes closed.

…

"There's more going on than what she's telling us," Sue sighed once she reached the living room. After seeing the way she acted around them, it became painfully obvious she didn't trust any of them. The only one she reached out to so far was Ben. "She's been abused. The signs are all there."

"Kid's just got a lot of problems she's hiding," Ben shook his head, having already reached that conclusion from the bridge, "I'd be more concerned about what happens if someone else gets their hands on her. She'd make one hell of a weapon."

"You should be happy, Ben. You've finally found someone you can relate to," Johnny laughed as Ben glared daggers at him, all the while earning a slap across the back of his head from Sue.

"We know next to nothing about her," Reed said thoughtfully, "Wherever her powers came from, they might have a connection to the cosmic cloud. We need to find out more about them, and if there's a way to reverse what it did to us."

No one in the group was willing to admit that they were more concerned for her safety than anything else. If what he thought about Alice was true, it was best she stay with them until they figured out who or what she really was.


	4. Part One, Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

She was beginning to understand that fate worked in mysterious ways. To know that she crossed paths with Reed Richards not once but twice, told her they were fated to meet. Morning had arrived far too quickly for her. She grimaced at the thought of what she would have to do once she left. She knew that she would have to skip the city and change her name.

Alice bit back a groan and tried curling deeper into the sheets that wrapped around her like a warm cocoon. She wasn't in any hurry to get up and face the rest of the group. They were already aware of what she could do. That much alone left her wondering whether or not it was safe to stay. She'd suffered enough from her father to know that not everyone could be trusted, and she hardly knew anything about these people other than their names and their jobs.

Shaking her head at the thought, Alice finally sat up and tossed aside the sheets. She blinked in surprise upon seeing a fresh set of clothes sitting on the top of the dresser. She wasn't expecting that. Truthfully, Alice didn't want to know how Reed was able to figure out her clothing size. Once she finished getting changed, Alice opened the door and peered outside.

A narrow hallway stretched before her. Doors that led to other rooms could be seen, and to the left was what looked like a living space. Alice took a deep breath before wandering down the hall, until she reached the living space in question.

It opened up to a large looking lab. Machines of all sorts could be seen. Alice looked around and tried to take everything in at once. It was almost overwhelming being surrounded by so much technology. She gaped at some of the strange looking instruments until realizing she wasn't alone.

"Sorry… the uh, kitchen is over to your left."

Alice nearly leaped out of her skin at the sound of Reed's voice. She hadn't realized until hearing it that he was already awake. She looked around the room warily, knowing this was not her area of expertise. These people were scientists… to them, she was probably just the lab rat. That thought sent a shiver of unease through her. She'd always been afraid of being treated like a lab rat, especially when she knew that her powers had practically developed out of nothing. Scientists would have a field day if they found out where her powers came from.

"Thank you," she replied.

She couldn't help but look down at the floor in embarrassment as she brushed past him. As she ignored the look that followed, she knew that Reed would likely have a few questions revolving around her odd behavior.

She found the kitchen in a matter of minutes. It was slightly bigger than the one at her apartment, but there was one difference. At least they had a table to sit at. She normally used a coffee table or a small tray table to eat when she had enough money left over for a meal. Alice tried not to roll her eyes when she saw Johnny already sitting there with a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice.

Ben stood at the other end of the table. It looked like he was struggling to use a fork while trying to eat the pancakes Sue had made. Again, Alice couldn't help feeling sorry for him. Of all the transformations, his must be the most difficult to go through.

Though, she understood what it meant to be seen as something different. She dealt with that on a daily basis. Between her parents and everyone else, she had no doubt everyone would see her as some kind of monster when they saw what she was capable of.

"Good morning sleeping beauty," Johnny crowed as he noticed Alice approaching. She glared daggers at him before sitting down beside Ben. "Or should I say sleeping beast?"

His smirk earned a slap across the face from Sue.

"Really, Johnny?" she demanded. "Help yourself to some pancakes, or if that's not your favorite, there's cereal too," she added to Alice.

"I've done nothing to earn it," Alice replied with a shrug. The looks Sue and Ben gave her were priceless. "In fact, I really shouldn't be staying here. I-I have to leave tonight."

"Sounds fine by me." Johnny took one final sip of his orange juice before leaving them in awkward silence. "Let me know when icicle's gone, I've got dibs on her room."

Icicle.

That was a new one.

As he left, she looked down at the table and wondered if she could ever live a normal life. That night on the bridge was just another reminder of how different she was compared to everyone else. To them she was nothing but a freak. Someone who shouldn't be out in society. They would always look for excuses to keep her locked away from the world, where she didn't pose a threat.

Her father's words kept ringing in the back of her mind. As much as she wanted to deny that he was wrong, Alice couldn't shake off the feeling that he had a point. Maybe she wasn't fit for society. Maybe everyone would have been better off if she stayed as far from civilization as possible.

 _It isn't as if anyone would miss me_ , she thought bitterly. The only other person who'd ever cared for her had moved away already. She knew the odds of talking to Jacob again were slim. With no cell phone, it wasn't as if he'd be able to reach her.

"Don't let him get to you," Sue told her, putting a hand on her shoulder before quickly pulling it back. "Is your skin always this cold?"

Her question was enough of a reminder as to why she couldn't stay in one place for too long. The only reason she had been able to stay at her apartment for so long was because she could conceal her powers best as she could. She spent as little time in that small room as she could.

"That's why I want to leave," she explained with a shrug. "I don't have control over my powers. I don't want to hurt anyone."

"You ain't gonna hurt anyone here," Ben reassured her. "Hothead just thinks he's high and mighty."

She couldn't hide the smirk that followed, trying to avoid looking at them when she heard that nickname. She considered leaving before things could get anymore awkward when she decided against it. As much as Alice wanted to deny it, she hadn't had a decent meal in weeks. She knew the human body could go for weeks without food; water, on the other hand, was necessary.

"So, there any reason why you're nothin' but skin and bones?"

Ben's question caught her off guard when she grabbed a bowl and poured cereal and milk into it. Alice refused to make eye contact as she looked down at her bowl, thinking back to how she only made just enough money to pay for rent. Living in New York was expensive enough to begin with. Living in a city where hundreds if not millions of other people lived made it even worse. Because of the high cost towards rent, she hadn't been able to pay for food or other luxuries.

"Money isn't exactly easy to come by," she admitted warily, "I barely make enough to pay for rent, let alone enough to pay for a decent college to attend."

She hadn't missed the mutual exchange Sue made with Ben. She wasn't expecting pity out of anyone. Hell, she planned on making it through life with what she had. She wasn't going to leach off of someone else just because they'd offered it. That alone was what had given Alice her resolve to survive. Nothing would ever change her mind.

…

"This is really amazing," Reed commented as he peered through the microscope. A sample of her blood had been taken when Reed asked her to join him in the lab later that day. He wanted everyone to join him in the lab so that he could take samples and study them to find a possible cure for their 'disease'. Alice had been tempted to make a run for it before they could jump to conclusions, but she knew that wouldn't get her anywhere at this point, "I've never seen blood like yours, before."

"My father refused to give me proper medical treatment for as long as I can remember," she explained, earning a look of surprise from Reed.

There were a lot of things her father had refused to give her. She knew if she started listing them out loud, it would likely end with him getting arrested, and her life becoming even worse than it already was. She would never admit it out loud, but her father terrified her. He used her powers as an excuse towards his behavior. Though it wasn't fair and it was considered as nothing more than abuse, Alice had become fully aware that arguing against him would only make things worse.

Reed shook his head before turning to look at her. She flinched, already bracing herself for the worse when he frowned and looked at her seriously. She'd already spent enough time with her father to know what she could expect out of him. These people were different. She had no idea what to expect out of them. And that was enough to leave her feeling unnerved.

"Look, I'm not going to hurt you," he reassured her, face softening when she finally looked at him. As if to reassure her, he held his hands up in a means of showing that he held no weapon. "I promise."

Alice looked at him hesitantly, mouth hanging open slightly until she closed it and she gave a faint nod. That seemed to be enough to satisfy him. Breathing out a quiet sigh of relief, she waited as he studied the blood sample under the microscope lens.

"Your blood is colder than anything ever recorded on Earth," he explained after rubbing his eyes.

"You mean my core temperature, right?" Alice asked, glancing curiously at the microscope he'd been using.

To her surprise, the lenses were cracked. It looked like they were frozen solid. She knew that her powers could be dangerous if and when she lost control. She just never knew how dangerous they could be until that moment.

 _That explains why I have no control over them_ , she nearly rolled her eyes. Though, Alice suspected there was more to it than that. She'd never fully had control over her powers, and a small part of her knew why. She was terrified of what she could do. She was terrified of her powers. And that fear was what caused them to fluctuate all the time.

"Something like that," he nodded in agreement once she started to relax a little more. He paused, frowning as he thought of how similar her DNA was to their own after he'd taken blood samples. The before and after images were what really caught him off guard. Their DNA structures had been different prior to the cosmic storm, and they had been different compared to hers. After the cosmic storm, they were surprisingly similar in structure, "Alright. Johnny, you're up," he called through the com after shaking his head at the thought. "Come on, you get to watch the show."

Alice raised an eyebrow in surprise before following him to an observing room with a huge window to look out of. In the room it looked into, there was a large metal box standing in the center. Johnny stood next to the metal box before he stepped inside. From what Reed had informed her, the metal box had a way of reading the level of temperature Johnny could reach. Alice knew this was his way of testing just how powerful he could be when he 'flamed on'.

"Okay, Johnny," Reed told him before he went inside.

Reed and Sue scanned his vitals while Alice watched the intense heat build up. She winced at the sight, remembering the pain she had felt when he brushed against her. Was that because she was ice? Ice and fire didn't mix, that much she was certain of.

"He's heating up from his core," Sue pointed out. Alice knew Reed was looking in her direction, though he never said anything out loud. The similarities of their powers couldn't be a mere coincidence, "And his vitals are completely normal."

Johnny continued to increase his temperature. The intense heat was beginning to get to Alice. She took a step back as pain started to burn within her. Sue and Reed didn't seem to take notice as the heat began to intensify even more.

"It's hotter than I anticipated," Reed said after looking at the thermometer. Alice's eyes widened when it started to read over three thousand kelvin. "Johnny, turn it down!" he shouted over the com.

"I can go hotter," Johnny called back.

The heat was getting worse. Alice almost fell to the ground when Sue finally caught her. The heat was so intense that it began melting the corners of the metal box.

"Johnny, just back it down!" Sue shouted through the com.

Johnny, of course, didn't listen. Instead, he kept increasing the temperature until it was almost at four thousand kelvin. Alice had to close her eyes as the heat became almost an entity of its own.

"Johnny, back it down, right now!" Reed shouted over the roaring flames.

"Johnny," Sue screamed.

It was getting harder to breathe now. Alice found herself choking as she struggled to keep herself from collapsing. Reed finally slammed his fist on a red button to stop Johnny. Johnny only laughed when the heat died down.

"Buzz-kills! You guys are crampin' my style!" he laughed.

He was covered in foam. As the smoke began to clear, Alice noticed that most of the metal box had been melted away. His shirt was burned off on top of it, and once again, Alice rolled her eyes at the sight.

"Johnny, you were four thousand kelvin," Sue told him. "Any hotter and you would be approaching supernova."

Alice stood back as Sue and Reed reached the railing, looking down at an ecstatic Johnny. Not for the first time, she had to wonder how this guy had become as famous as he was. He never seemed to take anything seriously, and he had almost killed everyone in that room.

"Sweet!" he exclaimed.

 _Just how stupid is he_? Alice wondered. Even _she_ knew that supernova was bad.

"No, not sweet," Sue corrected him. "That's the temperature of the sun."

"Not only could you kill yourself, but you could set fire to Earth's atmosphere and end all life as we know it," Reed explained.

"Got it. Supernova – bad," Johnny reassured them.

Alice decided to leave them at that. After that awful experience, she wanted nothing to do with Johnny or his powers over fire. She hadn't realized just how vulnerable she was to the heat.

She was walking towards the hallway when she spotted someone familiar standing against the wall. He didn't look the least bit amused as he put on a fresh shirt and pair of pants. Alice narrowed her eyes as she started to walk past Johnny.

"I still don't see what they see in you," he said, almost sounding accusing.

Alice suddenly turned and glared at him. Not for the first time, she couldn't believe that this same asshole was related to Sue. She wasn't surprised that he'd judged her based on what she looked like and how she acted. Though she knew she was being nothing more than a hypocrite, she'd seen the way he acted around the group in less than a few hours. And she already found herself annoyed with his crude behavior.

"Do you honestly have any idea what _you're_ doing here?" she demanded. Johnny opened his mouth to respond, but she stopped him, "unlike you, I don't utilize my powers for fame and fortune. I try to keep myself hidden because I don't want to hurt anyone. Yes, I don't belong here, and yes, I plan on leaving as soon as I can. But that doesn't give you the right to call me a monster when all you do is torment Ben and the others."

For a moment, Johnny was too stunned to say anything. Then, he narrowed his eyes and shoved past her once again. Alice couldn't help but wince as she once again felt the intense heat burning through her. All she wanted to do was make sure she lived in peace for the rest of the life.

…

"Guys, we have a serious problem."

Johnny stepped out of his room, revealing a burning shirt and pants that he'd been wearing seconds ago. Alice tried not to laugh at the sight while he glared at her. She had to admit, she was thankful her powers had never frozen her clothing without warning.

…

"Our suits were exposed to the storm, like us, so they can transform like us," Reed explained as he showed everyone the suits he'd been studying.

In a matter of hours, he managed to gather everyone together. After finding out what happened with Johnny's clothing, Reed had been trying to figure out a way to resolve the problem at hand. When he finally found something that would work, the rest of the group jumped at the opportunity to see what their options were.

Alice was sitting in the background as she listened, wondering if any of them would miss her slipping away. She had been planning to leave before they discovered more about her past. She knew at that point that the less time she spent with them, the better off everyone was. Besides, she was still a high risk to everyone close to her. There were times when she could feel her powers beginning to slip out of control, and it had taken everything she had to regain control over them.

They were all given the uniforms they had worn on the space expedition, except for Ben. Alice watched in amusement as Sue put hers on. Their suits already made them look like superheroes. It was fitting, in a way. She doubted she would ever make a good 'superhero' if she was given the chance.

"Huh, you guys look like an eighty's rock band," Ben laughed as he took a sip from his metal bowl.

Alice couldn't help but smirk in agreement.

"You know, Ben, this material can stretch," Sue told him. "I'm sure we can find a way to make it fit."

"No, no, no, I wouldn't be caught dead in that," Ben replied with a shake of his head.

"I love these costumes," Johnny remarked, admiring himself in a mirror. "They're missing something though, some kind of spice."

Again, Alice only shook her head in disbelief at Johnny's comment. She understood for a fact that they were anything but costumes. Having worked in the space station while wearing them, she suspected they were more for protection than anything else.

"They're not costumes," Reed snapped.

"You can't use your powers in public, Johnny," Sue told him.

Johnny didn't look all that impressed.

"You guys are worse than NASA," he muttered crossly.

"Maybe it's missing a utility belt," Ben suggested.

…

She didn't have anything that needed packing. All of her stuff was back in her apartment. So the only thing she needed to do was slip away unnoticed. That, surprisingly was the easy part. Going out into the public wasn't.

People were gathered around the Baxter building. Most of them remembered her from the night before. Alice froze on the spot when a few started asking questions, mostly about who she was and why she wasn't with the team. She only gaped at them before pushing her way through the crowd.

 _Don't let them see me_ , she begged silently. She ran through the sidewalks until finally reaching the block where her apartment was on. Relief swept over her shoulders when she walked inside. By now most of the people who were outside had focused their attention on other things. Alice was ready to open the door when someone opened it for her.

"You're not allowed back in here." The landlord. His arms were crossed as he looked down at her from the doorstep. "I watched the news last night. You're just as bad as the rest of 'em."

Alice could only stare at him in disbelief. She wasn't expecting that. While she knew that the broadcasts had likely already gone live, she was hoping that she had time to explain the situation. Unfortunately, life never worked out the way she hoped. It only seemed as if everyone was willing to accept that her father was right about her after all.

"Please, I-I'm not planning on hurting anyone," she whispered. "I just—" He cut her off before she could keep begging.

"'No' means no," he snapped. "Get out."

He turned and grabbed a suitcase full of her clothing. Alice gasped as she barely caught it, keeping the case from snapping open. He slammed the door in her face, leaving her alone in stunned silence.


	5. Part One, Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

She remembered the times when she and Jacob used to joke about running away. During school, they would crack some kind of joke about running away before their parents ever noticed. Back then, Alice didn't know that she _would_ be living on the streets. Or, that her life would have taken the turn it did. So often, all she wanted was her life to go back to the way it was, before crossing paths with Reed and the others. At least back then, her life had been tolerable. She could avoid her father, and work at a job that paid a meager wage. Sure, life had never been easy on her own, but at least she made a living. Alice knew how to survive, and that was what mattered to her, the most.

Any sense of normalcy she had, now, was gone. Fate had somehow taken charge of her life. Alice felt her fists clench at the thought. If she went back to her family now, there would surely be hell to pay. She knew better than to go back to that life. Anything was better than going back there.

She had been wandering the sidewalks for what felt like hours now, with just a suitcase in hand. Curious bystanders and people walking past had noticed her. A few gave her looks of pity, while others just scoffed in disgust and carried on with their lives. Alice swallowed hard at the thought, knowing she wouldn't likely be welcomed anywhere. She wondered if it would be safe to go back to the abandoned warehouse. There, she could practice her powers and think of what to do with her life. Now that her secret was out, she would have to skip town and leave before things got any worse. It was a wonder that the cops hadn't tried stopping her when they drove past in their vehicles.

 _They've got better things to do than worry about a vigilante like myself_ , she guessed. It was ironic when Alice thought about it. She had considered herself as nothing more than a vigilante because of her powers. Hell, her father called out on her bluff each time she tried fighting back against him. He knew how to turn her fears against her, and he did so with malice. No, she was going to try and prove to everyone that she could make it out on her own.

Letting out a sigh, Alice finally reached the cafe where she hoped to try and clear her already churning mind. The cafe was such a popular destination that she wasn't surprised to find it packed with customers. She could still remember the endless shifts where she was constantly running from one station to the other, filling out an endless amount of orders. Nights like those were always her favorites though. Despite the chaos that seemed to fill that room, at least it took her mind off of everything else. Tonight, however, was different.

The moment Alice walked inside and saw the crowd gathered around the room, she knew something was wrong. A knot formed in the pit of her stomach as a few customers turned in her direction. She had a feeling that they weren't here for coffee. Anyone who saw the news would have recognized her working at the cafe. Alice tried to swallow the lump forming in her throat, suddenly wishing that a hole would open up and swallow her.

"There, she is!" Alice cringed at the sound of Tori's voice as she leaned over the counter, pointing an accusing finger in her direction. The media had been treating this whole thing like a circus act. With so many eyes on Reed and the others, she realized it was only a matter of time before people began focusing their attention on her. "That's the freak from the news story, the other morning!"

Panic swept through her as she realized too late that these people were starting to swarm around her. She could already feel the ice slipping between her fingers, threatening to overwhelm her. Alice narrowed her eyes, spinning around before they could round on her. She made a run for it, pushing her way past the doors and anyone standing in her way. She didn't stop running until she was certain the crowd had stopped chasing her.

Alice let out a rush of air once she reached Central Park. Her heart was beating louder than ever, and, she was afraid that her powers would lose control. A shiver ran through Alice as she leaned against a tree. She pulled off her glove, eyeing the tips of her fingers warily. To her relief, they weren't coated in ice like she half-expected. Alice shook her head as she put the glove back on, sinking down to the grass.

What happened at the cafe was just another reminder why she avoided people so much. Tori and Megan had probably been hoping for a quick buck. Knowing that much, she knew what had to happen, now. She would have to skip town. Changing her name wouldn't be entirely difficult. If she changed her identity, and started a new life, at least she would no longer have to worry about people turning on her.

Once she recollected her thoughts, Alice finally stood up and grabbed her suitcase. For now, she would find a place to sleep for the night. That meant finding an uncomfortable bench to sleep on. The good news was, there wasn't any bad weather. She just hoped that by tomorrow, she would get her act together.

…

 _"No one wants a freak for a kid!" Her father jerked a thumb in her direction. Alice shrank back, trembling with fear at the rising temper of his voice. She could see the form of her mother crouched over Lana's still frame. Blood streamed down her right eyebrow, and Alice knew the reason behind her most recent injury. "You're nothing but a damned monster!"_

 _"I'm sorry," she whispered, feeling her heart sink even farther as mother glared in her direction._

 _Neither of them had cared much for her in the first place. Alice knew for a fact that now, she would only be treated as nothing more than what they thought of her._

 _The worst part was, she hadn't even meant to hurt Lana. She had been practicing her powers. Lana was the one who decided to make things worse by testing her patience. While they had never gotten along because of what their parents would tell her sister, Alice never went out of her way to hurt her. By the time Alice found out too late what Lana was up to, it was too late. She'd already begun losing control of her powers. The walls and the windows of the room were coated with ice, while the floor was covered in snow. Lana, of course, had been skipping around merrily, unaware of what was happening when an icicle spear suddenly flew in her direction._

 _"I'm sorry," she repeated once more._

 _Her whole body was trembling with fear, knowing full-well that that this truly was her fault. Alice never wanted to hurt Lana. But, it was too late for regrets._

 _She had faced his wrath before. Her father was no stranger when it came to punishing her. Tonight was no different. He was just using this night as another reminder of that hate, and where she stood in this family. All she could do now was brace herself for the pain that would follow, and hope it would be over quickly_.

She never wanted to go back to that old life. Her father had stripped everything from her. Alice knew in the back of her mind that leaving her family behind had been the best decision she could have made. She had the freedom to be who she wanted, without any of them breathing down her neck. While her life may not have been perfect, she did know that things could have been a lot worse. She could have been stuck in a worse situation.

It took a few seconds for Alice to register that she was no longer on the park bench. Her mind was spinning with memories of that night. She could still remember hurting her sister. While that in itself had been nothing more than an accident, Alice knew full-well that her father fully blamed her for what happened. Lana could have been killed. She could have died that night, had that spear reached her chest. She shook her head at the thought, finding herself on the couch inside Reed's apartment.

"… found her sleeping on a park bench last night when I was heading back."

Alice blinked at the sound of Sue's voice. It didn't take her long to realize that Sue must have found her, and she somehow brought her back to the Baxter building. A small part of her wanted to curl up and pretend that this had never happened. That running away had just been another excuse of getting away from everything she knew. She knew the more they found about her, the higher chances they had of finding out what her father did.

"Sue, we don't have the finances or the time to take care of someone with as many problems as her," Reed sighed in frustration.

 _They're trying to figure out what to do with me_ , she thought bitterly. Guilt swept through her. These people had enough problems as it was, let alone dealing with someone like her. She didn't want to add to their list. Staying here would only make things worse.

"Then just let her stay," Sue insisted, "She doesn't need you to take care of her; she just needs a roof over her head."

She chewed the bottom of her lip, knowing that if she did decide to stay, it would be nothing more than a financial burden for Reed. Money was difficult enough to come by in the first place. She'd planned on looking for a job. Since the cafe had likely fired her, she doubted going back and begging for another position would help.

"We haven't even gotten close to finding out a cure for these symptoms," Reed pointed out.

She chose that moment to sit up. She couldn't stand the tension any longer. If she was that much of a burden to them, she would leave. There were other ways of surviving in this crazy world. She just needed to figure out how.

"I'm not planning on staying," she snapped, ignoring the look Reed gave her as she caught Sue's look of sympathy, "I've caused enough trouble… It's better for everyone's sake if I leave."

"Sweetie, you don't have to leave," Sue reassured her before giving Reed a glare. "Please, stay."

For a moment, Alice thought of arguing with her. She never planned on staying for as long as she had. Yet, these people were offering her a place where she could be safe from the media, and the rest of the world. Eventually, she decided against arguing and gave a slight nod; exhaustion crept through her as she tried pushing thoughts of what she would do from there aside.

…

Ben was squeezing a bunch of oranges into a metal bowl when Alice reached the kitchen. She couldn't meet his eyes as she grabbed a bowl of cereal from the cabinet. Alice couldn't shake off the feeling of dread when she woke up that morning.

She hated feeling hopelessly lost. Not just because she had been kicked out of her own apartment, but because she had nowhere else to go. There were places she could go that would offer advice to those who were looking for second chances. The thought made her wonder if they would be willing to accept someone who had powers, and someone who was on the run. Something told her that would end in disaster if they found out who she really was.

"How're you feeling?" Ben's question caught her off guard.

Truthfully, she felt like crap. She wouldn't admit it out loud though. Admitting that she had tried running away would only make things worse.

"I've been better," she mumbled halfheartedly.

Johnny chose that moment to stride into the room, ignoring her and looking at Sue and Reed, who had also just arrived.

"Okay, I'm here, let's make this quick. I've got a lot of places to go today," he announced. He grabbed the bowl of orange juice right out of Ben's hands, earning a glare from Ben before walking over to the counter to make his own breakfast. "Oh wait, I can't go anywhere."

Alice only rolled her eyes at the snarky attitude. Reed didn't seem to mind, though – in fact he looked completely exhausted.

"Johnny, look, it's imperative that we stay inside for the foreseeable future," he explained.

Ben sighed before looking at his fork in confusion. It looked like he was having trouble picking it up. Alice was tempted to help, but she had a feeling he wouldn't thank her for interfering. Besides, he was already learning how to perform simple tasks like picking up utensils.

"I know, I know. I was there when you said that, but my brain hurt for a week," Johnny groaned.

"Johnny, it's too dangerous for you to be in public," Sue snapped, looking equally as exhausted as Reed.

Not for the first time, guilt swept through Alice as she sat down at the kitchen table. She suspected that she was responsible for their exhaustion. Both Sue and Reed were going out of their way to help her, and she'd only made their lives that much more difficult.

 _All I ever seem to do is get in everyone's way_ , she thought bitterly. Not for the first time, her father's words rang in the back of her mind. Even before she hurt Lana, her father would always claim that she always got in his way. And worse still, he would always find some reason of blaming her whenever something went wrong.

"Yeah, you've been saying that for years," Johnny said cheekily.

"What worries me is that our powers are evolving," Reed cut in, almost referring to their earlier conversation.

When Ben finally picked up the fork, he didn't bother hiding the triumphant smirk that followed. Everyone learned how to cope with their changes. Alice suspected these people would soon begin using that to their advantage in the end.

"No, I know!" Johnny exclaimed. "I'm so close to flying, guys, I can almost taste it."

He threw a towel onto the table, and it almost instantly caught on fire. Alice wasted no time in putting the flames out with her own powers. The flames were extinguished in a matter of seconds, earning a confused look from Johnny. She may not have perfect control over her powers, but at least she was able to perform simple tasks like creating snowflakes, and melting smaller fires.

"You can't fly," Sue laughed with a shake of her head.

"Yet," Johnny tried correcting her. "So what's going on Reed? How are you gonna cure us?"

Reed smiled before pulling out sheets and blueprints across the table.

"I'm going to create a machine that can recreate the storm," he explained. "The cosmic rays will travel from this generator to this chamber."

"What, no pop-ups?" Johnny asked.

"Is it safe?" asked Alice curiously.

She wondered if such a machine could take away her powers. The thought sent thrills of hope through her. She could finally live a normal life for a change. Of course she still had to move states and change her name. But it meant no one would remember her.

"I don't know," Reed admitted. "If I can reverse the wave's signal—"

"It'll turn us back to normal," Ben finished for him, voicing Alice's thoughts.

"But what are the risks?" Sue repeated what Alice had asked earlier.

"Even a small miscalculation could increase our symptoms exponentially," Reed finally answered reluctantly. "Or perhaps even kill us."

"Now dying – that's bad, right?" asked Johnny as he pulled up a chair and sat on it backwards. "I say we just let sleeping dogs lie, guys."

"So, how long 'til this contraption up and running?" Ben asked.

"Hard to say," Reed replied.

"How long?"

Ben was getting desperate now. She understood what he was going through. To have an entire life torn away because someone was different, that was something she had become all too familiar with.

"I don't know—"

"You don't know?" Ben nearly bellowed.

"You don't want this to get worse."

"As worse as that?"

Johnny's question earned a glare from Alice. How could he be so heartless? His arrogance was beginning to drive her crazy.

"Guys, we're going to be stuck here for a while," Sue warned them, sounding like a mother scolding a child, "can we at least try and get along?"

It didn't take Alice long to realize Sue was referring to the fights between her and Johnny. Alice shot him one glare before falling back into her seat. She wasn't sure if the two of them would ever get along. Johnny was too arrogant and snarky for her liking.

…

Music blasted from the speakers as icicle spears hit the targets. After being shown the gym thanks to Ben, Alice wasted no time in making use of the facility. This sort of workout was exactly what she needed after everything that happened. The worry and fear that she felt was taken out in her workout. Fortunately, neither Sue nor Reed had gone down to check on her. She kept practicing to the point of exhaustion.

When she exhausted her powers she went over to the punching bag that hung nearby. She didn't wear boxing gloves to keep her hands protected. She couldn't without freezing then. Even if she was able to aim her ice spears, she still didn't have complete control over them. That was why she constantly practiced. If she could somehow find a way to keep them from spreading the way they had when Lana jumped in the way, she could prevent herself from hurting anyone else.

"What did the punching bag ever do to you?" Alice froze on the spot when the music suddenly turned off. She whirled around in time to see Johnny leaning against the wall, looking more than just amused with her reaction. "Most people wear these when they're hitting that, you know," he added in a matter-of-fact tone, pointing to the gloves that were lying nearby.

"Yeah, well, most people don't have to worry about freezing them," she snapped, jabbing the punching bag so hard that it swung into the wall. She jumped back in time as it flew back, kicking the punching bag this time. "I don't need protection."

"Well, clearly, you do." She only narrowed her eyes when Johnny suddenly moved beside her. He was wearing the suit, and Alice noticed with a start that it seemed like the perfect fit. She flinched when he took hold of her arm, "Listen, I'm sorry for being such an ass." His apology made her raise an eyebrow. "Sue told me what happened."

She let out a scoff of annoyance as she wrenched her arm out of his grip. Of course, Sue told him what happened. She should have anticipated such a move, especially since she had chosen to sleep on a bench the other night. While Reed and Sue were busy discussing what to do with her since she had nowhere else to go, she knew that the others would begin asking more questions about why she ran away in the first place.

"I don't need your pity," she snapped, ignoring the look he gave her, "I just want my life back to normal, or, as normal as it can get."

She had already learned that her life would never be normal again. Maybe it was just time she accepted that and moved on with life. After all, she had already lost her job, her home, and everything else. 'Normal' might as well not even be in her vocabulary.

"You know, most of the girls that I meet are usually pining over me," he suddenly added, moving so that he was in front of her once more. Alice narrowed her eyes as she felt his strong grip on her arm, pulling her close, "You aren't like them."

If it wasn't for the fact that she had already exhausted her powers, she would have frozen him on the spot. Alice had already heard enough rumors and stories to know what Johnny was like to the women he met. She wasn't planning on adding to his list. Not when she had so much to lose.

"Maybe that's because unlike them, I'd rather keep whatever dignity I have left," she retorted, ignoring the fact that his eyes hadn't left hers.

"What is it with you not letting anyone in?" His question was enough to leave her wondering the same thing.

Years of putting up with her father had taught Alice not to trust people. He was the one who took that away from her.

"I've spent most of my life being told that I'm nothing more than a monster," she snapped, ignoring the look he gave her, "You think that having powers makes you a hero, that you're above anyone else, but you're wrong. Having these powers isn't a gift… it's a curse."

It took a few seconds for her words to register. Johnny blinked a few times as she looked for the nearest exit, hoping to get away. She wasn't planning on sticking around any longer than she needed to. Once Reed figured out a way to get rid of their powers, or fix whatever happened in the first place, her life would finally go back to normal. Maybe then, she could finally feel accepted in a world where she was nothing more than a monster.


	6. Part One, Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

Alice sat on the sofa while surfing absentmindedly through the channels on the television. Her conversation with Johnny a few days ago had left her mind reeling with confusion, worry, and doubt. Johnny was an ass, there was no denying that. Such emotions were dangerous when she thought of how risky it was to lose control. Besides, it wasn't as if he had anything to invest in her life. All he ever did was prove how arrogant and hotheaded he was. She wanted nothing to do with that kind of attitude. After putting up with her sister for so long, along with her father, she'd learned that it was best to avoid people like them.

She hated what staying here was doing to her. It felt as if she was a prisoner. While these people had been kind enough to offer a place for her to stay, she knew that going out into the world was out of the question. The media would jump her; they would tear her apart and throw her in some kind of prison worse than what she was currently stuck in. They wouldn't give her the chance to explain herself and why she was on the run in the first place.

Shaking her head at the thought, she let her mind wander back to the way Johnny had treated Ben, these last few days. Between pulling off pranks, and tormenting the man, she knew it was only a matter of time before Ben pummeled the idiot. Johnny was asking for a beat-down, and, he probably would get a kick out of it when Ben did lose control of his temper.

It wasn't until she reached a certain channel that Alice paused and stared at the screen in disbelief. While she never took the time to watch too many sports channels, this one in particular had caught her attention for all but one reason: Johnny Storm.

The X Games were a popular sport, in the city. Alice never bothered with them, mostly because she didn't have the time nor the attention span to watch them. But, the moment she saw Johnny performing a few tricks on a motorcycle was when her fists clenched with annoyance. As if showing off wasn't enough, she could see the crowd going wild in the background at the antics he got into.

"Mr. Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Five!"

The announcer's exclamation was enough for the remote to fall out of her hand. Her jaw nearly dropped open with disbelief when she realized they'd said 'Fantastic Five'. Not four, but, _five_. A shiver of rage swept through her; she never agreed to becoming part of this. Not when she planned on leaving once this was over.

Reed and Sue quickly joined her, along with Ben after she turned up the volume. Johnny did a flip off his bike, getting dangerously far from it. Alice could only watch in horror until flames engulfed his body. It was seconds later when he was flying through the air, until finally crashing into a pile of dirt.

Silence followed as the crowd waited to see if he was okay. Time seemed to slow down as Johnny suddenly sat up and tore off what was left of his shirt. Alice didn't miss the fact that his suit had a new symbol on it. There was a logo over his shoulder, revealing the team name.

"He didn't," Sue muttered crossly.

"Oh, yes he did," Ben growled. He was pacing beside the couch as he spoke again, "Flameboy never listens."

"What did he do to his uniform?" Sue demanded.

Alice glanced over her shoulder, noticing that Reed tried hiding the suit he too was wearing. She nearly rolled her eyes when she noticed his suit had the same symbol on it. The fact that Reed of all people used the symbol only left her wondering if he was making the right choice. If this was his solution to figuring out what to do with her, he was out of his damn mind.

A reporter was now talking with Johnny once the cheering had finally died down.

"I gotta ask about the outfit," she said, pointing the microphone to him.

"It's like Armoni meets astronauts," he replied with that same stupid grin.

She merely glared when she noticed that he craved this kind of attention. Johnny was so much more like her sister than she first realized. That alone was enough to make her grateful that she hadn't let him in. The walls she built up were there for her protection, and nothing more.

"So, what are your superhero names?" the reporter asked.

"They call me the Human Torch," Johnny replied. "Ladies call me Torch."

All the girls surrounding him made cooing sounds at that. Alice felt like she was going to gag at the sight. Once again, she reminded herself why she couldn't stand attention craving people. Especially people who were already full of themselves.

"What about the rest of the team?" A picture of Sue showed on the screen.

"That's the Invisible Girl," he responded, sounding so proud of himself.

"Girl?" Sue repeated in disbelief.

"What about your leader, Reed Richards? I hear you call him Mr. Fantastic," the reporter went on.

"Could've been worse," Ben muttered with a shrug.

"Is it true what they say, that he can expand any part of his anatomy?" the reporter asked.

And all at once all the girls surrounding them looked at her with interest. Alice rolled her eyes once again. She knew that most women and men only thought with one head. What bothered her more than anything was how accepting they were of that notion.

"I've always found them to be a little limp," Johnny laughed after cocking his head to one side.

It took a few seconds for the picture on the screen to register that they were also including _her_. Alice narrowed her eyes with fury. She wanted nothing to do with the lime-lights. Not when she planned on skipping town and changing her name. The worst part was seeing everyone's reactions to her picture. She knew that everyone judged one another just from their appearance. And seeing their faces when they saw how thin she was didn't help matters.

"What about her?" the reporter asked when the crowd took renewed interest in the mysterious new arrival.

"Her name's Frostbite," Johnny replied with another ear-shitting grin, "Her body, and her heart are as cold as ice."

Everyone laughed at that. The arrogance Johnny reeked of was enough for Alice to wish a hole would open up and swallow her. She was anything but a superhero. These people were stupid enough to believe that, until she lost control. If she ever lost control in public, they would see her as nothing more than what she truly was: A monster. A shiver swept through her at the thought. All she wanted was a hole to open up and swallow her at that moment.

Things didn't get much better when a picture of Ben appeared on the screen. Everyone stared at Ben in shock or horror.

"What is that? What do you call that thing?"

"That's it," answered Johnny, "The Thing. You think this is bad, you should've seen him before."

Laughter soon followed, and Alice felt her fists clenching with outrage. Johnny would pay for this, one way or another.

"That's it, now I'm going to kill him," Ben snapped.

Alice wasted no time in walking back to her room and getting dressed. There was no way she would let Johnny get away with this. And it seemed the others agreed with her.

"Yeah, well get in line," she retorted.

She glared at the thought of what she would do to Johnny once this was over. He wasn't getting away with this. Not by a long-shot.

…

The X Games were loud and crowded. That was the first thing she noticed about this place. Alice already found herself getting overwhelmed. People were crowding around them as they got closer. At first, no one seemed to notice her. But, when the rest of the team arrived, that was when things changed for the worse.

Alice couldn't help but shrink at the flashing lights and questions that people shouted above the roar of the crowd. She tried looking for an escape from the chaos; anything was better than putting up with them. If there was one thing she hated more than anything, it was being put on the spotlight. She knew better – the moment she did something wrong was when someone would try and call her out. That would only end in disaster as far as she was concerned.

"That's enough!"

Reed pushed his way past the crowd that slowly began surrounding her in a semi-circle. She couldn't help but glance at Reed self-consciously when she noticed the sharp glare he threw the crowd. Even if he didn't know about her fear of crowds, she was grateful for his interference.

"There he is," Sue pointed him out.

Sure enough he was walking out to the street. A couple of girls were hanging on his every word, and every thought Alice had on him quickly returned. He was nothing but a playboy asshole. She was amazed that he had any relations to Sue whatsoever.

"Johnny," Sue called out to her brother.

Ben stopped over at a red sports car that had the license plate 'Torch'd' on it. Alice was already aware of what he planned to do before it happened. She gave him the slightest nods of approval. Anything to get back at the asshole for what he did to them.

"Look, can we talk about this later, guys?" Johnny asked, tightening his arms around the two girls.

Alice felt sick at the sight. She couldn't help but wonder if any of these women were in their right mind to begin with. All they seemed to do was soak in everything Johnny said, and he seemed to love the attention they and the rest of the crowd gave him.

"No, we can't," Sue snapped. "What were you thinking?"

She followed him while Alice kept her distance. By now the crowd seemed to forget about her, much to her relief.

"Where's my ride?" Johnny asked, releasing his grip on one of the girls.

Suddenly, a red ball landed in front of them. It was oddly satisfying, seeing the car crunched up into a large wreck. Alice almost wished she had enough strength to that herself. For now, she gave Ben credit for making such a bold move.

Though, she was becoming more conscious of the crowd gathering around them as tension swept between the team. Most of their eyes were on Johnny and Sue. A few watched Alice, as if they were waiting to see what she would do about this fight. She struggled to keep her cool, despite the situation.

 _I can't lose control now, not with so many witnesses_ , she thought.

All the while, Johnny was staring at what was left of his car in horror. The license plate flew through the air, hitting his head and catching his attention. He looked up to see Ben walking towards him, punching his fist into his other hand. He had been itching for a fight since Johnny decided to give everyone their own name. Not that Alice didn't blame him. There were times when she wished she _could_ unleash her fury upon those who thought they were above everyone else. Doing so would only prove what her father and everyone else thought of her; the last thing she wanted or needed was for people to think of her in that way.

"You think this is funny, Pebbles?" Johnny demanded, gesturing to his car.

Before Ben could throw in a punch, Alice moved forward and slapped him across the face. Hard. He didn't even flinch, but the glare that followed was enough of a reminder why she refused to open up to anyone.

"You son of a bitch," she swore under her breath, ignoring the scowl that followed.

"Johnny! You gave us names?" Sue added, glaring at Johnny while he rubbed his cheek. "You don't think! Now, you're the face of the Fantastic Four!"

"Actually, it's _Five_ ," Johnny corrected her, earning a glare from Alice.

He hadn't even asked for permission when he announced to the world that she was part of the team. It wasn't as if she had asked to be part of the mess they created. She just wanted her life to go back to normal. Rather than accepting that her life had changed thanks to meeting them, she just wanted to slip away and pretend that nothing had happened. Of course, Johnny had to make things worse by involving her.

"One, I didn't ask to be part of this, and two, you're nothing but a self-conceded asshole," she snapped.

"Yeah, and it's a face that's about to be broken!" Ben shouted from across the block.

He started running towards Johnny, and suddenly, Alice was aware of a full-blown fight that could end in disaster. She threw out her hands out in between them, creating an icy shield. Shields were just another creation that she formed with her icy powers. And she was suddenly grateful that she had practiced using them during instances like these. Ben took a step back and gawked at her while Johnny only glared.

"This is the one and only time I'm going to stop you," she muttered crossly while shooting dagger-like glares at Johnny.

Reed moved forward so that he was standing beside her. He was thoroughly exasperated with the tension between Johnny and Ben. And while he hadn't said much earlier, he wanted the fight to end before it got any worse.

"This isn't permanent," he reminded them. "We need to be more careful until we're normal again."

"What if I don't want to be normal?" Johnny demanded. "I didn't turn into a monster."

Anger burned in Ben's eyes as he rounded on Johnny once more. Alice struggled to keep hold of her shields. But the moment Ben charged forward, they shattered. Her teeth ground together when she realized she was losing control. The temperature around them suddenly began to grow dangerously cold.

 _Let them see you for who you really are_ , a small voice told her. Alice held back a small cry and finally lurched over. By now the large crowd dispersed in panic when they realized what was happening. Snow had begun to fall around them.

"I can't control it," she whispered, her heart racing with dread.

It felt like time slowed down until finally a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her. Alice held her breath as she waited for the pain that would follow. She expected someone to kill her – it would spare everyone the problem of figuring out what to do with her. But when her vision began to clear, she realized that it was Johnny who held on to her.

Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she realized that he was protecting her. Or, protecting everyone else at least. Alice held her breath as black spots began to appear at the edge of her vision. By the time she had gained control again, she blacked out.

…

"Where is that freak?"

Alice flinched at the familiar voice of her father. She blinked a few times after finding herself laying on the couch, wrapped in a warm blanket with a pillow on the armrest. It didn't take long for her to recall what had happened at the X Games. All at once, she felt her heart wrench with the cold realization that she'd nearly lost control. The only reason she stopped was because she blacked out. Countless people would have been hurt if she hadn't lost consciousness.

It was just another painful reminder of why she couldn't be around people. Maybe isolation really was the best option she could choose. She didn't want to hurt anyone. She didn't want to be seen as a monster.

"Asleep," Reed snapped, sounding a bit frustrated that someone else had intruded on them. Alice finally peered over the couch and saw her father glaring at Reed. Standing beside him was her mother, wearing the fanciest dress she had ever seen. "I'm sorry, but I think given the circumstances, she should stay here with us for the time being," he added in a softer tone.

"She's comin' home with us," her father snapped. "That freak's gettin' what she deserves."

She winced at the aggravation in her father's voice. This wasn't the first time he'd actively punished her in public. Though, she doubted he counted on the fact that people might actually care. Alice began to understand that she would never belong in this world. Not if she lost control for the umpteenth time.

"She's twenty years old, I'm sure she's perfectly capable of handling her own problems," Reed told them.

Her father didn't answer. She froze when his glare landed on her. Her father was one of the most intimidating people she ever faced. She knew better than to argue with him. He would just find another way to punish her, if she refused to go along with their method of punishment.

She shrank back further when he strode across the room, shoving Reed to the side. A lump formed in the back of her throat when he reached her, and he pulled her roughly by her wrist. He did a good job at hiding physical abuse. He knew how to get away with it. Even if anyone saw him abuse her in public, they usually turned their head in the other direction as if nothing happened. Tonight wasn't any different from all those other nights they would have family outings.

"I can't cause any physical pain now, girl" her father began in a low whisper, quiet enough that Reed wouldn't hear him, "But, the moment we get home, you're going to regret running away that night."

Alice didn't bother arguing with him. At this point, arguing would only enrage him further. She couldn't look at Reed as she obediently sat up and joined her father. Not another word was said when they reached the main lobby of the Baxter building.

"Alice, what's—" Her father cut Sue off before she could continue asking what was going on.

"She's going home, with her _parents_ ," he explained in a sneer.

Once again, she refused to look at Sue. The older woman just looked at her with pity when she realized what was happening. There wasn't any turning back. Not at this point.


	7. Part One, Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

"You're nothing more than a freak!"

She flinched at the sudden pain that followed when her father left a long gash along her arm. Using his belt to inflict further damage as part of his 'punishment', Alice had braced herself for the pain that would follow. Experience taught her to prepare for the worst possible outcome whenever her parents were involved. Especially as far as her father was concerned. Yet, there was nothing that could have prepared her for the onslaught of insults and lashings she received.

Alice knew the minute they got home, her father would use some kind of punishment on her for what had happened. The justifying of his actions only added to the hate Alice felt towards him. She knew better than to lose control of her powers now. That would only give him more reason to punish her, and it would just make things worse than they already were. The only thing she could do was endure the pain that would follow. He never once seemed to care whether he was inflicting more than physical abuse at that point.

A few more minutes of this went on before he finally had enough, breaking his belt buckle in the process. Alice let out a rush of air she hadn't realized she was holding when he threw her into a closet. The darkness couldn't hide the injuries that he'd inflicted on her. Welts covered her wrists and arms. Blood seeped from the gash he'd left when a sharper piece of metal cut through the skin. She had gotten used to the sight of blood whenever he inflicted injuries upon her. They were never serious enough that she needed to be taken to the hospital, but they left enough damage that they would scar over.

It took everything she had not to break down into tears. She remembered spending long nights crying until she passed out from exhaustion. She wasn't going to let that happen, again. Alice kept telling herself that maybe it was better, this way. The team wouldn't see what her father did to her, and he would leave them alone. She didn't want them to see just how broken she truly was.

…

"You can't possibly think that this is a good idea, Reed?" Sue asked in disbelief when he explained what had happened after she returned from her shopping trip, and his plan on solving the problem at hand.

She hadn't expected to see Alice leaving the Baxter building with a couple that claimed to be her family. Seeing just how wary Alice looked around those people told her something else was going on. Something that might explain her odd behavior around people in general. The first time they'd met was when she had seen signs that Alice was a victim of abuse. And her odd behavior had sparked uncomfortable questions among Sue, Reed and Ben. They had been planning to ask, but Alice had already been through enough those first couple of days that no one bothered pursuing the truth.

After running enough research on her blood samples, he knew something else was going on with her powers. They had a connection with the storm that had given them their powers. That connection was something that couldn't be ignored. Besides, there was still so little they understood of how she got her powers in the first place. Finding out how she got her powers might have given them the chance to find a cure for their own powers.

"Sue, you didn't see what I saw," Reed shook his head, rubbing his face as he recalled how cold that man had been towards Alice. Seeing the way she acted around her father only justified the need to do something about it. He couldn't just sit around and do nothing while she suffered the consequences of their mistakes. "She was _terrified_ of him. No one, adult or kid, should be afraid of their own father."

Sue looked at Reed thoughtfully when she realized he was dead serious. She had her suspicions that Alice had suffered more than she let on at the hands of her family. She just didn't know how far that abuse went.

"She didn't even want to stay with us," she tried reasoning with him.

Though, seeing the way she acted around her parents might have explained why she didn't want to stay with them. It was painfully obvious that whatever treatment she endured from her parents extended far beyond physical trauma. She was afraid of acting out around them, and Sue wasn't the only one who began noticing Alice's odd behavior. The more people who figured out that something was going on, the higher chances she had of either hurting someone, or vise-versa. Reaching out to her now before that happened was more important than they realized.

"She doesn't have to stay," Reed retorted, crossing his arms after he'd rummaged through the paper scattered along his work desk, "She needs help. And, we may be the only ones capable of providing that help."

Whatever happened, they needed to do something. Acting as if nothing had happened would only justify what Alice already thought of the people she didn't trust. If they managed to pull her out of that situation, then at least she could start over again, and this time, without worrying about her parents.

…

It felt like hours had slipped by since Alice was thrown into the broom closet. She managed to clean off the worst of her injuries with a dirty rag hanging on the shelf. It was only a matter of time before her father returned with more punishments in mind. Alice knew that she wouldn't be able to outrun him, once he returned. Instead, she would have to wait out the next bout of his punishments and hope it didn't last long.

She thought of what her life had been like at the Baxter building.

While it hadn't been easy, living with four other people who were complete strangers, Ben and Sue had welcomed her with open arms. Ben, especially, treated her with the kindness she had always longed for. Even Reed was usually either too busy working on the machine to pay attention to her, or, flat-out ignored her presence. Johnny was just a pain in the ass. His sister, on the other hand, was a different story. Sue had treated her like a normal human being, and that meant more than she would ever admit out loud.

Life at the Baxter building hadn't been as bad as she first thought. Sure, it had its ups and downs. But, the people there were adjusting to life with their powers. She of all people understood what that was like. She could have given them a second chance. She should have.

Alice squeezed her eyes shut, wrapping her arms around her legs as she tried pushing those thoughts away. Thinking about it only left her wishing that she could have appreciated it while she was there. Instead, she'd pushed them away and built a wall around them. It had been her way of protecting herself from whatever damage they could inflict upon her. But she was beginning to understand that they weren't going to hurt her. At least, not Sue, Reed or Ben.

"I can't believe you're starting your first year of college." Her eyes snapped open at the sound of her mother's voice. Alice peered through the tiny cracks of the door, watching as Lana soaked in the attention they gave her. "My baby girl is growing up so fast."

She only glared at the sight, wondering how her parents could just shove her to the side and pretend she didn't exist. Lana was the one who got all of their attention because she was normal. She even _looked_ prettier. Being on the taller side, with slightly tanned skin and well-toned muscles, one wouldn't have believed she was sixteen just by looking at her. She tried forcing the jealousy that rose within her as she watched them through the cracks.

Despite her need to hide that jealousy, it didn't stop the bitter resentment that welled up within her. Their parents were only focused on one daughter that was perfect in their eyes. Alice often wondered if Lana even cared that she was tossed aside like she was nothing. She supposed that ignorance truly was bliss.

"Best part is, that scholarship will pay for everything," father added, the smugness and pride in his voice enough to leave Alice feeling sick.

Only _they_ would have been proud of the fact that a school was paying for everything. Lana had never had to worry about paying for her needs. She was spoiled rotten, to the point where she would probably crawl in a hole and die if she had to survive on her own. Alice nearly rolled her eyes at that thought. Even if she had grown up in the same lifestyle as Lana, she would have wanted to be prepared for the real world. It wasn't just black and white like Lana expected. She was in for a rude awakening once she started earning her own living.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Alice flinched at the sound. Any visitors that stopped by were made aware that her parents only had one daughter. Her father made certain of that by silencing her. She had quickly learned that speaking out loud would just lead to further abuse. The only thing she could do was sit around and wait until the visitors left, and she had to hope that her father was still in a good mood.

"Were you expecting anyone?" asked Lana, frowning in confusion when father's eyes narrowed.

"No," he replied gruffly and headed towards the closet. Alice flinched once more when he banged on the closet door, loudly enough to shake the whole room, "Scream, and I'll make sure that you receive more than a few cuts and bruises when they're gone."

Alice looked down at the floor as shame crawled through her. She felt helpless being locked up in the closet. If she used her powers against him to escape, that would only justify what everyone thought of her. She knew she was trapped, no matter what choice she made.

"Who's at the door?" Lana asked.

Alice narrowed her eyes when she heard her mother gasp in surprise. She tried peering through the cracks to see what sort of visitor was enough to astonish even her mother. With the family being so high in society, anything was possible.

"Doctor Richards," her mother greeted the man standing at the doorway. Confusion swept through Alice when she realized why they were so stunned. What was Reed doing there? Didn't he have more important things to worry about? "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"I was hoping to get you to sign something, for me," he answered, sounding less than impressed with their formal greeting.

 _What are you doing_? she wondered, narrowing her eyes.

Muffled footsteps told her they were headed for the kitchen. Alice leaned forward until her face was touching the door. She could just make out Reed's form in the light. He wasn't wearing the suit like she had expected, and instead had on normal civilian clothing on.

"What the hell is this?"

Her father's question was one Alice wondered, herself. Whatever Reed was up to, she hoped he knew what he was getting himself into. Going after her father would only make things worse, for anyone involved. She'd learned that the hard way. Her father may have acted like he was kind and generous on the outside, but deep down, she knew who he really was. A liar, and a conman. He would do whatever it took to maintain the kind of reputation their family had.

"An agreement," Reed answered once more, the tone of his voice curt enough to tell her that he saw through their ruse, "You sign this agreement, I won't go public about your financial problems. Or, what you've done to your own daughter."

A shiver swept through Alice when she realized what Reed was implying. She was hardly aware of the closet door slowly opening. Alice flinched when she felt someone's presence beside her. She became hyper-sensitive to the feeling of hands gently brushing her arms, feeling the welts and bruises from where her father had beaten her. The presence in question had paused slightly after noticing some of the deeper gashes her father had inflicted after using the belt as punishment.

"You have no proof," her father growled out the words, clearly annoyed that someone was calling out his bluff.

"What did he do to you?" she heard Sue whisper.

Alice barely had time to register the fact that her father had realized Reed wasn't alone. Too late, he went over and glared daggers at Sue when she materialized in front of him. Sue wasn't fazed by the fury written across his face, though. If anything, that only seemed to fuel her resolve to fight against him. Alice only watched them warily as she realized that Sue and Reed were willing to risk everything for the sake of pulling her out of the situation she was in.

"You really think I care if you have proof of what I've done?" he sneered.

He turned to Reed as Lana shifted closer to their mother, clearly aware of the tension rising between them. Alice looked uncomfortably between Lana and her mother as she noticed how uneasy her younger sister finally looked around their father. It seemed as if Lana had finally begun to notice just how dangerous their father could be when he was provoked. Alice just hoped that he didn't take his aggression out on her, or her mother. Though neither of them had done anything to help her, that didn't mean they deserved his aggressive behavior anymore than she did.

"You will, once the police get a hold of the evidence," Reed replied without hesitation. "Powers or not, she's still a civilian, and a minor. Child protection services _will_ go after you, and something tells me you don't want that on your record."

Her heart nearly skipped a beat when she realized what bluff Reed was pulling. Child protection service would take away Lana, if they knew what their parents were doing to her older sister. While she had never been on the receiving end of father's fury, that didn't mean he was incapable of taking his aggression out on her. For the first time in years, hope swelled within Alice as she understood where this was headed.

She watched as her father's face twisted in an ugly scowl. He of all people knew there wasn't any point in arguing. No matter what happened, Reed had him beat. Time suddenly felt as if it slowed down when her father finally grabbed a pen and signed the document. Every movement he made was rough and full of anger. Alice winced at the sight. She knew that he was furious after realizing someone caught him in the act.

She glanced uncertainly at Lana when she noticed her sister had been quiet throughout the argument. It looked as if she was trying to process the idea of being taken away from their family. Mother, on the other hand, just looked down at the floor as if she only just realized what this meant.

 _It's too late for regrets_ , Alice told herself, knowing that her mother would likely forget this had ever happened. Her mother was never there for her in the first place. After all, she had always taken her father's side of the argument revolving around her future. At least now, she had a means of escaping them thanks to Reed's surprise visit. She could never thank Reed enough for what he did that night. He took a huge risk by confronting her father and exposing him for the monster that he was.

"There," her father grunted after signing the papers, "Now, get that monster out of my sight before I decide to change my mind."

Alice didn't bother arguing with that notion. She was vaguely aware of holding onto Sue's hand tightly as they left the house. Any personal belongings she had were already in the suitcase she had left behind in the Baxter building. The less time they spent in that hellhole, the better off everyone was.

The awkward silence that followed as they returned to the Baxter building didn't help matters. Alice hadn't left Sue's side until they reached the apartment. The older woman seemed to take it upon herself to provide what little comfort she could.

"How did you find out?" was all she could ask when Sue began looking over the worst of her injuries.

Ben and Johnny were gone. Most likely from another argument. Alice was just thankful she hadn't been around during said argument. The last thing she wanted or needed was to deal with the tension between them. She didn't want to explain why she looked like such a mess. While Ben already had his suspicions, having to explain everything to Johnny only made her feel that much worse. She was thankful to have some time to herself before having to explain what happened.

 _He'd never understand what it's like_ , she reminded herself.

To never have control over her powers was worse than being treated like an outcast. She truly was terrified of what would happen when she lost control. It happened only once or twice at the warehouse where she would practice them. And even at that time, she had been holding back in the hopes of keeping the city from freezing over. Johnny had control over his powers. He was lucky to have that much at least.

"I first noticed that night on the bridge," Sue admitted as she searched through the first aid kit she'd grabbed. Her injuries needed to be treated before they got infected. While Alice hadn't cared much at the time, watching Sue tend to them made her realize that other people did care. She looked down at the floor, wincing when Sue began cleaning the dried blood coating her arms, "No one should ever have to go through that."

"He's right," Alice whispered, refusing to make eye contact when Sue stiffened in surprise, "I'm nothing but a monster… all I ever seem to do is hurt the people I get close to."

Sue only shook her head in disbelief, before doing something that caught Alice off guard. She wrapped her arms around her in a hug. Alice flinched from the initial contact, unsure of what to expect out of that. Eventually though, she found herself relishing the warm embrace, burying her face into Sue's shoulder as she let out a quiet sob.

"Alice, you're anything but a monster," she reassured her. "You have a gift, just like the rest of us. Don't ever let what they say get to you."

The moment she said that was when Alice dropped her guard. All the years of hiding her emotions, of making sure people didn't see what her father did to her took their toll on her. She broke down for the first time, and she couldn't hold back the tears that followed. It was the first time she let herself appear vulnerable in front of anyone, and hopefully it would be the last time she broke down.


	8. Part One, Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

Her clothing was spread out across the bed as Alice tried organizing it best as she could. She thought back to the way Reed stood up to her father with those papers. More importantly, she thought back to the way she had finally opened up to Sue.

The older woman hadn't let go until she was finished crying. Sue had finished working on cleaning up the rest of her injuries, neither sure of how to act after that. The whole thing had been awkward, at best. Alice couldn't help but wonder what had led to that whole conversation in the first place. She knew that Sue was just trying to make her feel better about herself. Yet, she couldn't shake off the feeling that her life would never feel normal. That people would never accept her for what she could do.

The only consolation she had was that the team accepted her. In ways, that meant more than she could ever imagine. Yet, it also reminded her that she would never feel safe wherever she went. True, she could leave the city and try finding a new way of life. But it would never be the same. She would have to change her name and completely change her appearance. And Alice had a feeling that even if she did survive in the cruel world, someone would inevitably discover she had powers.

She let out a sigh as she pulled out a picture frame, holding an image of herself standing beside Jacob, with the rest of his family in the background. That picture had been the only family vacation she ever attended. Jacob had insisted that she join him, because, they were going to the beach for the weekend. Alice had reluctantly agreed to tag along with him, and it ended up being the best decision she could make. That picture was one of the few she had actually genuinely smiled in, because she had something to feel happy about.

Shaking her head at the thought, Alice set the picture on the top of the dresser. She had so many fond memories when she was with Jacob. She cherished each moment, because he had been the only real friend she could trust.

She was ready to grab the rest of her clothing when she heard a commotion outside the hall. One glance towards the door left her wondering if Johnny and Ben were arguing again. From what Sue had told her, the two of them had a big argument before leaving the building.

After the way Johnny kept treating Ben, Alice couldn't blame the older man for wanting to get away. Johnny was nothing more than an ass to Ben, and he acted the same way around her. If the two of them fought again, she had a feeling it would end in disaster.

Carefully, Alice pushed the door open so that she could make sure they wouldn't spot her.

"I spent my whole life protecting you, and for what?" Ben shouted, pushing Reed back with his finger. "So you could play Twister with your girlfriend while I'm the Freak of the week?"

He pushed Reed backwards into a cart, pushing the cart as well. She realized with a start that he must have caught whatever they had been up to before returning to the Baxter building. Though, that didn't explain why he was suddenly so angry with them. Something else was going on. She wanted to speak up, but something in the back of her mind told her that was a bad idea. Getting involved with a fight between those two would only end in chaos.

"Ben, stop it!" Sue yelled.

Ben spun around to face Sue. His face softened for only a second when he saw Alice standing behind her. She understood full-well what he was going through. To be treated differently just because she was different. People saw her as some kind of freak because she had the ability to freeze things on sight, or by touch. The way they treated Ben was no different.

"Fighting isn't going to resolve anything," she muttered under her breath knowingly.

If Ben heard her, he gave no indication.

"You stay out of this, Susie," he snapped, the rage returning seconds later when he rounded on the blond.

"Stop it, or I will!" Reed shouted.

Alice only watched on in horror as Reed suddenly jumped onto Ben's back, wrapping his arms and legs around Ben in an attempt to calm him down. The last thing he wanted was to inflict more damage on the building, and the only way to prevent that from happening was by calming Ben down. Unfortunately, Reed's attempts only seemed to make things worse, and understandably so.

The fact that they were fighting at all left her mind reeling with confusion. She had no doubt this had to do with the machine Reed was working on. Between that and everything Ben was going through, she could hardly blame him for his frustration and lack of patience. She just wished that he would understand that he wasn't the only one who faced problems like his. Having powers hadn't made their lives any easier, but they never had to live with them their whole lives.

 _They've never had to face the treatment I've suffered from_ , she thought bitterly. Chips of ice were already beginning to form along her fingertips as she kept her distance between them. She hated not being able to interfere and prevent things from spiraling out of control.

"Get off of me, Rubber Boy!" Ben grunted as he tried throwing Reed off.

"You guys, quit it!" Sue yelled. "Ben!"

"All of this fighting is just making it worse," Alice shook her head in agreement while Sue managed to avoid getting caught in the conflict.

"Not to mention completely pointless," Sue added after realizing that Alice had joined them.

Ben managed to ram Reed into a machine, causing him to loosen his grip. He spun around and grabbed Reed's shoulders and threw him at the railing. Reed grabbed the railing, but his grip slipped and it caused him to fly right back into Ben. Reed wound himself around Ben once again, this time tightening his grip. He wasn't backing down until Ben finally ceased his rage. Though, Alice had a feeling that would only make things worse.

"Calm down!" Reed commanded.

Ben continued struggling, and once again Reed told him to calm down. Alice bit the bottom of her lip as she watched the fight unfold. Reed held on to Ben until he finally calmed down. The tense atmosphere only grew worse as Reed loosened his grip.

"Good thing you're flexible enough to watch your own back," Ben growled. "'Cause I ain't doin' it no more." He turned and started walking towards the stairs. "You three are on your own."

Alice suddenly went running after the direction Ben went. She didn't need to look back to see that Sue was following her. The tension from earlier refused to go away. Considering they had been fighting in the first place, she knew that Ben was leaving on bad terms. And she could only imagine what sort of trouble he could get himself into if he took his anger out on innocent people. Though, she doubted Ben would lose control like she often did. She didn't stop running until she saw Johnny approaching the elevators.

"Johnny, have you seen Ben?" Sue asked as she reached them.

"Yeah, sunshine just left," Johnny replied with a roll of his eyes. "Look guys, I'm sorry, but I can't stay in this freak show." Alice rolled her eyes in disbelief. He sounded just like a three-year-old. Not for the first time, she found herself comparing him to the way Lana acted, even after she was accepted into college. "I gotta get back to the real world."

"You're calling _that_ the real world?" Sue asked in disbelief.

"You're not mom. Stop talking to me like I'm a little boy," he snapped.

Alice only rolled her eyes at that. He really was an arrogant bastard. As far as she was concerned, nothing would change her mind about hit attitude. Especially when she saw the way Johnny treated everyone else. It was like he couldn't see past himself, or the fact that he was hurting anyone else in the process. He was acting like nothing more than a child, as far as she was concerned. And Alice had a feeling that Johnny wasn't going to grow up anytime soon unless he had a major reality check.

"Maybe if you stopped acting like one I would," Sue replied bitterly. "Do you even hear yourself? Who do you think you are?"

She was on the verge of losing her temper. Alice had already learned that when Sue got angry, it was best to stay out of the way. Sue had never taken her anger out on Alice, though she also knew not to provoke the blond like Johnny often did.

"Why is everyone on my ass? If you guys are jealous, fine. I didn't expect it from you," Johnny muttered.

"Jealous?" Alice scoffed in disbelief, earning a glare from Johnny, "I don't know how anyone could be jealous of an arrogant asshole like yourself."

She wasn't even sure what other women saw in the bastard. As far as she was concerned, his reckless behavior had hurt people. He didn't seem to care if anyone got caught in the crossfire, he was the kind of person who cared only about himself, and he surrounded himself with women who were basically the same way. That thought alone was enough for Alice to nearly roll her eyes in disgust. She finally began to understand why she hated people like that. Their arrogance was one of the many reasons why their popularity never lasted long, and why they ended up miserable when they got older.

"I don't need a lecture from some snowflake who can't even take care of herself," he snorted, crossing his arms as Alice narrowed her eyes with fury.

 _Snowflake? I'll show you a snowflake, you arrogant, pigheaded_ —

"You really think those people out there care about you?" Sue demanded, cutting through her angry thoughts screaming at him. "You're just a fad to them, Johnny."

"Let's try something new," Johnny suggested, "you live your life, I'll life mine." He paused and let this sink in before staring at Sue. "Sound good?" He started walking out of the building before turning around once again, "oh, and for the record, they love me!"

Anger churned within Alice as he left them. How could he be so selfish? How was he related to Sue, who was always so calm and gentle? She glanced towards Sue and saw that she was pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"How the heck is it that you're even related?" she finally had the courage to ask out loud after glancing at Sue. "You two are nothing alike."

Sue only shook her head and offered a small smile, despite the situation they were in, "Johnny's always been a hotheaded asshole… but he's still family. And as hard to believe as it is, there are times when he _does_ care."

Alice found that hard to believe. After seeing the way he acted around everyone, she doubted Johnny could ever care about anyone other than himself. But she wanted to believe that Sue was right about her brother. Even if she had only seen one side of him so far while staying at the Baxter Building. She just hoped that he would change for the better sooner rather than later. They needed their family working together rather than against each other.

She followed Sue back to the elevator in awkward silence. What happened next made her heart nearly stop. The lights flickered on and off, and the elevator stopped for just a moment. Sue's eyes widened in panic as she realized what was happening.

"Oh God, Reed," she breathed out.

That was when Alice realized what she was thinking. Reed must have used the machine on himself. After the huge fight he had with Ben, Alice couldn't blame Reed for wanting to push himself to his limits. They had been the best of friends. But Ben's predicament and the weight on Reed's shoulders were too much. There was only so much tension one could take when they were placed in that kind of situation.

She followed Sue out of the door and into the lab where the machine was. Alice watched on as Reed stepped out of the machine. At first, he smiled, as if relieved that things had worked the way he'd intended. But it wasn't long before his skin began to droop, until his body dropped to the floor.

"Oh my God, Reed, what did you do?" Sue asked as she rushed over to help him.

Alice wasted no time in helping her hold him up. She realized with a start that he was trying to push the test-run because of his fight with Ben. After that fight, she couldn't necessarily blame Reed for wanting to push himself and get the machine working.

"I thought I could make it work," Reed replied.

Alice winced when she noticed that half of his face was dangling from the bone.

"No," Sue tried reasoning with him.

"I need more power to control the storm," Reed added, sounding exhausted and out of breath.

"Alice, I hate to say it but I think we'll need Johnny's help," Sue told her.

Alice only shook her head and concentrated on Reed. She gently brushed her fingers across his face, earning looks of surprise from both Sue and Reed. But their looks of surprise quickly turned to looks of shock when Reed's face soon turned back to normal.

"Ice and rubber go well together," Alice explained, trying to hide her embarrassment at such a remark. "Or maybe not so much."

"We still have to get you to the doctor," Sue added after thanking Alice. Alice moved her arm from under Reed and looked at Sue seriously. "Go and find Johnny, he can still help us," she put in.

She held back a sigh of frustration before nodding in agreement. Finding Johnny may not help them in the long run, but at least it would keep him from doing something stupid. She ran faster than she thought possible to go and find him.

The elevators weren't working, so she had to use the stairs. By the time she reached the lobby, she was out of breath. But Alice was relieved to find Johnny hadn't gotten very far. He was still walking around the corner block when she reached him.

"You're an even bigger ass than I imagined!" Her shout was enough for Johnny to stop in his tracks. He finally whirled around to face her, mouth open and ready for an argument when she stopped him, "I don't care what you think of me. But, like it or not, those people are your family! The least you could do is show an ounce that you give a damn about them."

For once, Johnny was at a loss for words as he stared at her, too dumbfounded to make a response. She hated seeing the way he pushed these people out of his life. She at least had the excuse that she didn't know them enough to trust them. But, Sue was his sister, for God's sake. She would have given anything to have a family that actually cared about her, the way these people did.

"I'm sick and tired of being cooped up in that place," he snapped after recollecting himself. "Haven't you wanted to run away since they brought you there?"

She chewed the bottom of her lip, flinching as she looked down at the ground shamefully. Not for the first time, she did want to run away. She wanted nothing more than to change her name and start a new life. Yet, something told her that was now out of the question. The media knew about her and her powers. She knew that even if she did successfully run away, someone would still recognize her. In the end, she had no other choice.

"I ran, because I thought I was trying to do the right thing. I ran, because I don't have control over my powers. Do you have any idea, what it's like, to live with that? To worry that one day, you'll hurt someone you care about without meaning to?" she asked, her voice dropping to a whisper as Johnny's face softened with realization.

He had no idea… she silently thanked herself that few people knew just how broken she truly was. She couldn't look him in the eye when he closed the distance between them. The heat he gave off didn't hurt like she expected. Instead, it felt warm and inviting. She wanted nothing more than to welcome the warmth he provided. But there was still a part of her that reluctantly pulled away each time he tried getting close. Experience taught her not to trust him, especially after the way he acted around so many women.

"I'm sorry." Alice blinked in surprise, eyes widening when she finally found the courage to make eye contact. "Look, maybe I don't know what it's like being seen as a… as something, or someone different. I'm sorry; I shouldn't have said what I said."

Alice let out a sigh and shook her head. She knew that Johnny was an arrogant asshole, most of the time. But, she was also beginning to notice a different side to him when they were alone. Something she had a feeling few people, even Sue, got to see. Her heart began racing as their eyes met for the first time. She found herself searching his warm gaze, knowing that if things had been any different, she would have more than likely allowed him to take advantage of her.

She was ready to say something when the lights along the Baxter building began fluctuating. Her eyes widened with realization as she remembered that Sue and Reed had left the building to get medical treatment. The only other person there had to be Ben. She exchanged one look with Johnny, knowing that nothing good was going to come out of whatever happened in there.

* * *

 **AN: Thanks to Guest for being my first review! Reviews are always appreciated, especially if I get any feedback regarding the story's progress and how much you're enjoying it :)**

 **Guest - Thank you so much! I do love getting long reviews, especially when they're as informative as yours :) There are only about two more chapters left before the end of this part of the story, but, I plan on writing out the sequel as well, which will (hopefully) lead to even more character development, and delve deeper into her past in regards of how she got her powers. I probably should've added a trigger warning at the beginning of the last chapter, but, I'll more than likely add it in the summary. As far as looking into decent stories out there, if you're still looking, there's a story series called 'Therapy Session' by Welcome to the New. It's a really good series, so far, and one I'd highly recommend if you're enjoying this story :)**


	9. Part One, Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

Both Alice and Johnny ran back to the building. The power outage meant that the elevators weren't working. Alice was out of breath by the time they were back in the lab. Even after running for most of her life from people like her father, she could never get used to that kind of workout. It was probably safer to use the stairs given the situation they were in. The last thing she wanted was to use the elevators even if they were in operation, especially after hearing so many horror stories about people getting stuck in them.

"Sue!" Johnny yelled.

"Johnny, the machine worked!" Sue called back.

Alice's eyes widened when she saw her helping Ben up. He looked… human. It was strange. She was so used to seeing him as the… other guy. When she first met Ben, it made her realize that she wasn't the only one with problems in the world. It also made her realize that maybe, just maybe someone else could relate to her for a change.

"Ben!" Johnny yelled before looping his arm through Ben's.

"You used the machine on yourself," she whispered.

Her heart sank when Ben looked at her with realization. He hadn't known at the time how much it meant to her knowing that someone else understood how it felt not to be in control. Seeing the hurt in her eyes only left him frowning with sympathy. Alice didn't bother pointing anything out loud, though. She knew at that point the rest of the group had been so scattered as far as their powers were concerned. Only Johnny seemed elated with his powers.

"I'm sorry, kid," he apologized with a guilty shake of his head.

He of all people had known how much she wanted her own powers to go away. To feel _normal_.

Sue held him by his other arm as they helped him stand up.

"The machine," he quickly added once everyone had arrived, "Vic used it on himself." That caught Alice's attention. Why would Doom be using the machine on himself? "He was effected by the cloud, like us."

Victor was effected by the clouds like them. Alice felt her heart sink at the thought. She knew from all the news reports that Victor was nothing more than a self-proclaimed God. If he had powers than he'd likely use them to take over the world. Which only added to the list of reasons why she never liked the guy from the beginning. Victor had always reminded her of her father. Anyone who was that delusional and egotistical couldn't be trusted.

"Where's Reed?" asked Sue.

"Vic must've taken him," Ben replied.

His eyes caught something behind Alice, then they widened in alarm. She followed his eyes and saw something on the window. Horror flashed through Alice when she realized the window was broken. She glanced around and saw more places where Victor must have tossed him around until he was unconscious.

They all spun around in time to see a missile flying towards them.

"We gotta get out of here," Sue exclaimed.

"I've got an idea," Johnny told her, clasping his hands together before stepping back.

"Don't even think about it," Sue snapped.

"Never do."

"Idiot," Alice scoffed under her breath.

Johnny ran towards the balcony and jumped off the building, plummeting towards the ground. Alice watched on in horror as she heard Sue screaming at him for his sheer stupidity. Alice nearly rolled her eyes at the sight as she realized that Johnny was willing to take huge risks for the sake of proving himself. Of course he'd be willing to jump off a building just to see if he could fly.

It felt like time slowed down before Johnny finally yelled in one desperate attempt, "Flame on!"

Relief swept over Alice's shoulders when his clothing was burned off, revealing the suit. As much as she hated to admit it, she realized that the symbol Reed had given the suits was there for a reason. They all had powers, and it was time they started using their powers for the right reasons. Then, he suddenly flew off, leading the missile away from them.

"So, he can fly now," Alice mumbled under her breath. She turned and looked at Sue and Ben, determination suddenly washing over her. "We have to go help Reed," she added.

Ben nodded in agreement and struggled to stand up, but Sue gently pushed him back down.

"It's too dangerous for you, now," she told him while Alice ran to get her suit. Reed had designed one just for her. Though she kept insisting that she wanted nothing to do with the team, he designed it anyways. The only difference between her suit and theirs was that it had been specially designed with gloves that matched it. Once she was dressed and ready, she saw Sue struggling to keep Ben from going with them. "You have to stay here."

Ben looked at them sadly before shaking his head.

"What did I do?" he asked.

…

Victor watched as a cloud of smoke and flames appeared over the ocean where Johnny had been seconds ago.

"Two down, three to go," he whispered.

Alice struggled not to punch him in the face then and there. If anything happened to any of them, she would never forgive him. Or, let him forget her. They might have only met briefly at the Baxter Building, but that first impression was enough to tell her that Victor was not in his right mind, and he certainly didn't deserve any sympathy. She held on tightly to Sue's hand. Sue had the power to stretch her invisibility to other people, but only for a short time.

What Alice saw next made her blood run cold, if that were even possible. Victor had Reed strapped to a chair, and he was using a machine to freeze him on the spot. She couldn't help but wince at the sight, realizing just how painful that must be. She knew that ice could be a dangerous and powerful weapon if used against someone. One of the many reasons she had to keep her powers under control was to keep herself from freezing someone on the spot just by touching them.

She reached out to the device and turned it off. Reed's eyes moved towards Sue as she unlatched the straps holding him down. He'd known she was there the moment the straps unlatched. And he could feel Alice's presence after noticing how much colder the air had gotten, despite the machine Victor was using on him.

"Sue," he whispered, knowing it was her. His eyes shifted towards Alice as she stood beside Sue while keeping an eye on Victor. "Alice."

Sue only shushed him as she inspected the damage caused by Victor, "What has he done to you?"

"I'm going to try and retract the ice," Alice explained, her voice dropping to a whisper when Reed noticed her presence as well.

"Can you do that?" Sue asked warily.

She hadn't seen Alice use her powers, other than at the bridge and when she tried preventing Johnny and Ben from fighting. Alice sucked in a breath, still unsure of herself as she wondered if she could manage pulling off that stunt. It was a trick she hadn't used in a long time.

"I'm not sure," she admitted. "But I've got to try something."

"How romantic."

Alice glared at Victor as he stood in front of them. Her hands balled into fists at the thought of what he would do to them if he gained the upper hand. Victor was the kind of person who would try torturing them if he could get away with it.

"Victor, please," Sue begged.

"Call me Doom," he replied, gesturing to Alice. "Isn't that what you call me?"

Rage burned within her. She could already feel ice forming along the tips of her fingers. Victor didn't miss that. Her attention was drawn towards Reed. She could pull the ice back if she could control it. It just took concentration, something she didn't have a lot of at the moment.

"The machine works," Sue explained after noticing what Alice was doing. It didn't take a genius to see that she was stalling. She knew Alice would need time to retract the ice and recover from using her powers so extensively, "it worked on Ben, it can work on you. We can turn you back."

"Do you really think fate turned us into Gods so we could refuse these gifts?" Victor demanded.

Alice only rolled her eyes at that. She always thought he was too arrogant for his own good. He made people like her father look good in that sense. Sue only voiced her thoughts, earning glares from Doom as he looked between the two of them.

By now, Alice had drawn in most of the ice that had frozen Reed over. He looked more than relieved to have mobility again. Alice glanced over her shoulder, fighting the waves of exhaustion that were threatening to overwhelm her.

"Now, back off," Sue snapped after claiming Victor always believed he was a God.

"Ladies," Victor began as Alice stood up and prepared to fight. Even if she was exhausted, she wasn't going to let him get away with hurting them. "Let's not fight."

"No," Sue snapped, a blue light forming around her, "lets."

She sent a force at Doom that sent him flying backwards. Alice fired ice at Doom as he tried getting up. All the pent up rage from earlier suddenly came at her in full force. Doom managed to dodge most of her blows, until finally most of the wall was covered in ice.

Sue took a chance and vanished while Doom was distracted with Alice. She was gasping for breath, struggling to keep control as Doom managed to easily overwhelm her. Doom suddenly reached forward and grabbed Alice by her throat. She struggled to free herself from his strong grip, but found she couldn't move.

"You don't think I'm aware of what Reed and the others did for you?" Victor sneered as he held her up. "Imagine how they would react if I broke you."

He threw her into the wall, sending jolts of pain through her. Her teeth ground together as she tried to break free of him. Despite the years of pain her father had put her through, she wasn't prepared for what Doom put her through. His grip was twice as strong as he held her against the wall, and the occasional jolt of electricity surging through her made it that much worse.

 _Dammit, why am I so exhausted_? she wondered.

"There's just one little problem with your plan," she snapped as she managed to catch her breath. "I'm already broken."

She managed to throw her knee up, kicking him with enough strength to make him let her go. She took the chance and scurried away as fast as she could before Victor focused his attention on Sue. He fired a bolt of lightning towards Sue, and she narrowly missed before turning invisible again.

"Marco," Victor whispered, searching for signs of Sue, "Polo."

Suddenly, Sue shot another blast of energy at him. Doom saw his chance and shot lightning at her, and this time he didn't miss. Alice couldn't help but flinch when Sue became visible again. Doom caught her by her throat, lifting her off her feet as she tried breaking free of his grip.

"Did you say goodbye to Johnny?" he asked, holding his arms to the side.

The wall behind him suddenly smashed open, sending splinters across the room. Alice was sent flying backwards by the force, biting back a cry of pain while Sue landed beside Reed. She struggled to stand up again just as Victor recovered from the initial surprise.

"It's time to end this," Victor snapped, glaring at the newcomer.

"No, Vic," said Ben in an oddly familiar voice, "it's clobberin' time!"

Ben threw a punch that sent Victor flying into a nearby wall, right into the giant metal 'V' behind his desk. The impact was large enough to leave a nasty looking dent in the wall. Sue looked up, smiling as Ben grinned at the sight of Victor in pain.

"Damn I've been wanting to do that," he said proudly. He turned towards Alice, who was struggling to stand up. Her knees were still week from the fight, but at least she was able to stand. "Alice, Sue, you alright?" he asked.

Alice just let out a sigh of relief and nodded at Ben. He seemed more then pleased with himself as he helped Sue pull Reed out of the machine Victor was using. The good news was, Alice was able to retract most of the ice that had covered him. Reed let out a sigh of relief when he realized that he was able to move again once all the ice was removed.

"Victor's not that bad, huh? Just a little larger than life, right?" Ben's questions only made Alice laugh in response. "Maybe next time you'll listen to me before—"

Ben was cut short as the lights started flickering on and off again. Alice was all too aware that Victor had survived that fight. She turned in time to see him rushing at Ben, until ramming into him. The force of his impact sent them both flying out of the window.

They all ran down as Ben and Victor started battling it out. Fear was worming its way into Alice. She couldn't help but wonder if this would be her last fight. With Victor fighting the way he was, the possibilities were all too real. She watched on in horror as the pool Ben and Victor slammed into began to crumble. It spilled into the hallway, carrying Ben and Victor with it. Finally, Alice had reached the first floor of the building, ignoring all thoughts screaming at her to get away.

Ben and Victor had finally crashed onto a dumpster truck outside. It skidded to a halt, right in front of Alice. She held out her hands and nearly froze the truck on the spot, but instead had frozen it's tires. The back of the truck gave way to Ben and Victor's added weight, and it was suddenly sent flying into the windshield of another car. The women inside the car screamed and swiveled around the road. Alice took it upon herself to freeze the tires so that they came to a safe stop, and to her relief they slowed down enough to get out safely.

The police had arrived seconds later, ordering Victor to get out of the truck. Of course, he wouldn't listen. Alice suspected he was biding his time, waiting for Ben to attack again. Electricity built up around him, and he used his hands to direct it at the police car.

"Take him out!" an officer shouted.

The police open fired at him, but the bullets had no effect. Alice watched on in horror as they just bounced and ricocheted off of his armor. He lifted his hands and suddenly sent the bullets flying towards the officers. She hadn't expected that kind of backlash. His powers were stronger than she realized. She suddenly threw an icy shield in their direction, managing to block the bullets from hitting anyone standing around them. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to get caught in the crossfire.

"Ladies, I'm gonna need to borrow your car," Ben growled to the women standing nearby, cowering in fear.

"The transmission sticks," one of them warned him.

"Not gonna be a problem."

He grunted and picked up the car without hesitation.

The car was sent flying in the air. Alice couldn't help but smirk triumphantly as the car smacked Victor right in the head, making direct contact. The force sent him flying into the back of a truck, leaving a nasty looking dent. The bus was also sent skidding across the street.

Alice couldn't help but flinch when Victor pushed the doors to the bus open. The silence from earlier had almost been agonizing. The hood of his cape was pulled back, revealing a metal face plate that reminded her all too much of Iron Man.

Ben growled and ran forward. Victor kicked up the pole beside his feet and slammed it into Ben's chest as he tried reaching him. Horror surged through Alice as she watched Doom flip Ben through the air and crash onto the street down below. The cement beneath him crumbled and gave way. Victor approached him slowly, raising the pole as if he was ready to stab Ben with it.

 _God, give me strength_ , Alice begged as she suddenly fired an icicle spear towards Victor. She knew full well she was no match for him. But this wasn't about facing off with Doom. She needed to bide her time until the rest of the team arrived.

"Do you really think you can win against me?" he demanded as he lowered the pole he was holding. "You're nothing more than a mere child!"

Faster than she could react, Victor swung his pole in her direction. She braced herself for the pain that would follow, only it didn't happen.

"I can't let you do that!"

"Reed?" Victor laughed again. He hardly paused with the pole, looking rather amused that someone tried standing in his way. "I'll be right with you."

He gripped the pole once more and was ready to strike it when a force field prevented it from doing so. Alice opened her eyes and noticed with a surge of relief Sue standing next to Reed, eyes wide with alarm.

"Hello, Susan," he muttered crossly. The bitter tone in his voice sent shivers through Alice. She had heard from Ben about Victor's relationship with Susan. Apparently, it hadn't ended well. "You _four_ are pathetic!"

He was ready to attack again when a ball of fire was thrown at him. And all at once, relief and hope flashed through Alice as she realized who it was.


	10. Part One, Chapter Ten

" _I feel it deep within, It's just beneath the skin, I must confess that I feel like a monster I hate what I've become, The nightmare's just begun I must confess that I feel like a monster, I, I feel like a monster I, I feel like a monster..._ " - Monster, Skillet

* * *

 **Chapter Ten**

Johnny.

His suit was still smoking as he ran over to join the rest of them. Victor's eyes narrowed in disbelief when he realized his deadly mistake. Even he couldn't have calculated that the missile he fired would miss. Alice was just relieved that Johnny was smart enough to figure out that he could throw off the missile's heat radar. If he was capable of flying, that gave them a huge advantage over Victor. She almost smirked at the thought when she noticed Victor glaring coldly at all of them.

"You missed me," Johnny explained after catching the look Victor gave him. This time, Alice didn't flinch when their hands touched after he reached her side. She looked at Johnny in surprise when he smiled back at her, relief obvious in his eyes. "Had a little relapse huh?" he asked, looking at Ben with a grin. "Welcome back."

"This is gonna be fun," Victor said.

He leaned his head back and raised his arms. Electricity crackled around him, connecting him to all the buildings around him. Victor finally looked at the group and flicked his hand. Electricity was surging right towards them, and all at once Alice suddenly jumped in the way. Pain erupted within her as she was sent flying into a trash can. The force of her crash had sent the trash can flying towards a group of running people.

Sue suddenly raised her hands to form a force field around the people who were running.

Alice winced as she struggled to stand up again. She stumbled to her feet only to see Victor shoot another bolt of electricity at her. Once again, she braced herself for the pain to follow, only to watch as Sue formed a force field around her, blocking the lightning from hitting her. Her relief was short-lived as she realized that Sue could only do so much with the forcefield she created. Her powers were limited just like hers were. It took a massive amount of energy to create a forcefield like that.

"I can't hold it for long," Sue yelled.

Alice spun around and suddenly fired another icicle spear at Victor, hitting him square in the head. Reed had grabbed a mailbox and used the metal end to whack him in the head, temporarily 'disabling' him. The movement had only sent him tumbling forward though, and he quickly regained his footing.

"Alice, move!" Reed shouted. Alice did as she was told, wincing as she realized she must have sprained her ankle. Reed rolled into a wheel-like figure and barreled into Doom. He then formed into a thin sheet and covered Victor. He wrapped himself around Doom, until Doom was almost completely covered. "Johnny! Supernova!"

"I thought we agreed that was bad!"

"Now!"

Johnny ran forwards, flames spreading over him. He jumped up and flew into the air. Reed reached out to Ben, and quickly Ben grabbed his hands and pulled him off of Victor. Johnny flew around Victor, the flames getting higher, brighter and more intense.

All at once Alice was reminded of her time in the testing room. She could already feel the intense heat burning her flesh. Fire and ice didn't mix well. She had learned that the hard way, and now she realized that her very life was in danger. The only thing she could do at that moment was try and ignore the burning sensation. She knew this was for the good of stopping Victor, so she tried to endure the pain that followed.

"Sue, think you can contain it?" Reed asked.

His hand was covering his eyes to protect them from the light. Sue wrapped a force field around the flames, but by the time she did, Alice struggled to breathe. Her lungs ached from the heat and the smoke caused by Johnny's powers. The intensity from the heat was almost overpowering, even through the forcefield Sue managed to form.

"Flame on, kid," Ben said proudly as Johnny continued wrapping himself around Victor.

A drop of blood dripped from Sue's nose as she struggled to contain the forcefield. It broke seconds later as Johnny finally stopped. He grunted and landed on the pavement nearby. Alice struggled to keep herself calm as she realized that icicles were forming around her fingertips.

The flames were starting to die down, revealing what was left of Victor. Alice looked at him in utter horror.

There wasn't much left of him. The supernova flames had caused the metal armor around him to melt. He looked like nothing more than a skeleton of his former self. Victor was struggling to breathe as he looked at them all, eyes blazing with hatred. She couldn't imagine how painful it must have been to endure that kind of heat. With the kind of powers she had, Johnny could have easily killed her had he gone supernova.

"Is that the best you can do? A little heat?" he whispered.

"Time for your lesson – Chem 101," Reed began as he turned towards Alice and nodded. "What happens when you rapidly cool heat?"

She realized what he was implying, and she fired an icy blast at Victor. Steam filled the air as Victor struggled to escape the cold. She waited anxiously as the steam began to fade, knowing full well she had enough strength to keep going until Victor was stopped. The one thing she had learned about her powers was that she could just as easily send the world into a second ice-age, which terrified her. For now, she struggled to maintain control until it was finished.

Reed's eyes narrowed when he saw the now still figure of Victor. Now, he looked like nothing more than a statue. It looked as if Victor finally got his wish at becoming a monumental pain in the ass. He got exactly what he deserved, as far as Alice was concerned.

"Whoa," Ben breathed out before patting Alice lightly over the shoulder. "You both done good, kids. Come on."

Johnny helped Alice stand up a little straighter. She hadn't realized until now how exhausted she was. All of that fighting had left her mind reeling as she realized what she had done. She had used her powers without losing control. That in itself was amazing to think about.

"I think I sprained my ankle," Alice muttered as she tried walking forward.

The rush of adrenaline had already begun to fade, and she was beginning to feel the pain in her ankle where it was twisted. She gasped and stumbled forward, her hands catching Johnny's as he helped her stand once again.

"Hey, I'm sorry about the way I acted around you," he said thoughtfully. "Your powers are actually amazing, and…" He stopped himself short as a crowd of people gathered around them. Alice couldn't help but find herself blushing when she realized what he was about to say. "Come on, they're waiting for us."

The crowd started cheering for them when they regrouped.

"Man, I love this job," Johnny said with a huge grin.

His arm wound its way around Alice's waist, and once again she couldn't hide the blush that followed. She didn't miss the mischievous look in his eyes though. Or the warning looks from Reed and Sue. She tried shrugging it off as nothing more than a heat of the moment action. But she knew what Johnny was trying to do. It didn't take a genius to know what his intentions were.

"Job, huh?" Ben asked.

"Well, we _do_ have the suits," Reed replied with a shrug.

The audience only seemed to cheer more at that. Johnny took the moment to bow, drinking in the attention they were giving him. Alice rolled her eyes at that, but she couldn't help but grin as she realized they had won. The worst of the battle was over, and to make things even better, she had found a real family. One that would accept her for who and what she was.

…

' _Thank you, Fantastic Five_!'

Alice couldn't help but read the sign that hung over on a banner across the boat the team was on. Weeks ago, she never would have pictured herself in this situation. Reed, Sue, Ben, and even Johnny had offered her something she never had before.

A family.

It was strange to think that her life could change so dramatically. She recalled the many times when she had been so alone. When she had no one to turn to when she needed a shoulder to cry on. Sue had become a mother-like figure that she always turned to when she needed advice. She even opened up to Reed now. While their relationship was more strained based on the fact that he constantly busied himself with work, at least he was willing to talk to her. Ben had become the caring uncle that looked out for her, and kicked Johnny's ass if he tried hurting her.

Johnny himself was a whole different story in itself.

She wasn't sure what to make of the _Torch_. There were times when he could be an arrogant asshole and act as if nothing serious happened between them. Other times, he cared enough to listen and provide comfort she had never felt from anyone other than Jacob. Though Johnny wasn't all that difficult to understand, it made his actions that much more frustrating as she saw him around other women. She knew he tried taking advantage of her, and she hadn't allowed him to worm his way into her heart because of that.

"A shot of tequila, straight up, Earnie," she requested after reaching the bar where Alicia and Sue were also standing.

Wearing a light blue skirt and white blouse, Alice tried to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. After all, she was now officially twenty-one. She planned on celebrating her birthday without the rest of the world knowing. Which wasn't all that difficult when she took in her considerations. She hated the attention people gave each other when birthdays were concerned. The worst part was knowing that the next day, all of that would likely be forgotten.

"You got it, sweetheart," Earnie, the bartender, replied with a smirk.

Alicia and Earnie were two new fiends that Ben had introduced to the team after the battle was over. After their first meeting, Alice had become close friends with the woman who seemed to understand what she and Ben were going through. The transitional change had been difficult at best. Now, Alice finally felt as if she had been accepted by people who gave a damn about her.

"Didn't know you were into the strong stuff," Alicia remarked after looking in Alice's direction.

She couldn't hide the sheepish smile that followed as Earnie handed her the glass. She had to admit, a drink was greatly appreciated after last couple of weeks they'd had. Between dealing with the press, and everything else, they managed to find the time to celebrate their victory against Victor.

"Considering what I've been through, there isn't enough alcohol in the world to deal with it," she retorted, glancing in Johnny's direction as she noticed a woman hanging over his shoulder.

"I didn't know you were old enough to drink," Sue put in with a knowing look.

Alice's face blanched slightly, and she ducked her head to try and avoid the accusations that would follow. She didn't want or need the extra attention given to anyone when it came to their birthdays. Besides, these people had given her more than she could have ever asked for.

"Yeah, well, I'm not a fan of birthdays," she muttered under her breath, taking a sip of her drink as Sue merely rose an eyebrow and shook her head. "I've always hated the extra attention people give one another during their birthdays."

She may have finally started opening up to them, but that didn't mean she still had her moments. There were times when she couldn't bring herself to share everything. That was when keeping her emotions bottled up came in handy at the gym. She spent endless hours there, usually practicing her powers until she was exhausted. Usually, Sue or Ben would find her down there, and they would bring her back up where she could recover on the sofa or her bed.

Relief swept through her when Sue decided to drop the subject. Reed chose that moment to join them shortly after Ben arrived, while Johnny tried getting the numbers of the women surrounding him. Alice rolled her eyes at the sight, and she finished the last of her drink before setting the glass aside. Some things never changed.

"Look, I've been crunching over the numbers on the machine, and if I could rework the power—" He didn't get the chance to finish as Ben cut him off.

"Forget about it, egghead," Ben snapped. "I'm good as is."

"Better than good, baby," Alicia put in, making all of them laugh. He went over to clink his metal cup against hers, but instead made it shatter. "You just need to work on your touch."

Alice couldn't help but smile at the sight. It was good to see Ben with someone who actually cared about him. Especially since he'd already suffered his own fair share of hardship.

"Mm… I like the sound of that," Ben replied, wrapping his hand around her waist.

Sue took in a noticeable deep breath as she watched them. Alice found the whole situation a bit awkward and uncomfortable as she ordered another round. She had never been in a relationship herself. While Johnny had tried pulling a few moves on her, she constantly pushed aside his affections for multiple reasons. His reputation made her nervous. The way he acted around all the women tonight was just another reminder that she couldn't trust him. Not in a serious relationship at least.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" Reed asked, taking Sue aside.

"Sure," she replied before following him off the deck.

Reed was practically sweating from nerves as he looked at Ben for support. Before the party had started, Alice overheard Reed talking to Ben about proposing to Sue. She was already aware of what would happen next. It was all a waiting game now, and she hoped Reed knew what he was doing.

Sue's eyes widened in amazement when Reed pulled out a ring from his pocket and knelt down. Alice held her breath as she waited for Sue's answer when Reed asked for her to marry him.

By now she had turned invisible, and everyone was waiting anxiously for her answer. Reed glanced at Ben uncomfortably before gesturing to Sue after an awkward silence followed.

"Uh, you kind of have to say something," he suggested.

"Oh, aha, yes," Sue replied with a laugh. Everyone breathed out sighs of relief. Alice had to laugh when Reed tried kissing her, only to have her say, "that's my _nose_ , genius. These are my lips."

Then she pulled his lips onto hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Awe, she's kissing him," Ben cooed at the sight, his arm wrapped carefully around Alicia's waist.

 _They deserve each other_ , Alice thought, knowing that things couldn't have worked out better for all of them. Knowing that much, and what the future held in store for the team, Alice couldn't help but wonder if things would always be this upbeat.

"Hey, no more wisecracks about the way I look," Ben said, looking at Johnny accusingly.

Alice rolled her eyes when Johnny patted Ben on the shoulder, brushing his way past them. She doubted the tension between Ben and Johnny would ever fade. They finally started getting along, but there was still the occasional cat fights they would get into. Something told her it was only natural they would fight, especially since their personalities clashed all the time.

"Hey, call me Mr. Sensitivity," he replied. Alice would recognize that mischievous look in his eyes anywhere. "Okay," he started as he pushed his way through the crowd, "wide load coming through! Everyone move! He's huge!"

"Hothead," she muttered under her breath and crossed her arms.

"Come here, Mr. Sensitivity!" Ben shouted as Johnny jumped into the air and 'flamed on'. Alice had to laugh at their antics. They were like siblings, arguing all the time when they had the chance. "Show off!"

Johnny flew high in the air before turning in a different direction. He used his flames to create a Fantastic Five logo in the air as everyone cheered their congratulations. Alice watched the scene in amusement.

Alice couldn't help but smile as she noticed that everything came together at last. Despite what she had been through nearly twenty years of her life, she finally felt at peace. And for the first time in years, Alice felt as if she finally belonged somewhere. She finally found a home, and a family.

* * *

 **AN: This is the last chapter for this part of the story. I plan on adding the second movie, which has been changed dramatically. Bits and pieces of Alice's past before she got her powers will be added, and what led to her family disowning her. The song 'Monster' by Skillet is probably one of my favorites, and, kind of explains the Alice feels throughout the story. I'll probably post it sometime tomorrow, or during the weekend. Thanks to everyone who read this, so far.**


	11. Part Two, Chapter One

**Part Two, Chapter One**

 _Wind and rain tore through the state as the family struggled to get away from the worst of the storm. Lightning streaked across the sky, with thunder rumbling seconds later. The family had been on a camping trip prior to the storm randomly popping up out of nowhere. None of them were prepared for the cold or the wind that whipped up rain as it nearly tore the tent apart in the process._

 _"Mark, Mark, where's Alice?"_

 _The cry of the woman struggling to seek shelter from the storm alerted her husband, causing him to turn and face her. They had been so focused on getting out of the storm, that they hadn't noticed their youngest daughter slipping away. Panic quickly set in as Mark tried looking for any signs of their daughter. At three years old, she had a tendency to wander at the worst times._

 _"Alice!" he tried screaming out her name, anything to get her attention. With his wife being three months pregnant, he couldn't risk letting her stay out here, any longer. "Helena, get back to the tent! I'll go find her!"_

 _The woman looked as if she was going to argue, when she thought better of it. Clamping her mouth shut, Mark handed her another flashlight before pulling the spare he kept in his pocket. He did his best to ignore the cold wind, and the rain that now soaked him through._

 _Mark didn't stop his trek through the forest until he finally found a large clearing. He noticed with a start that footprints lined the trail he was currently on. Alarm swept through him when he realized those footprints were about the size Alice would have been. That alarm quickly turned to panic when Mark followed the trail of footprints that seemed to lead towards a cave. He let out a shaky breath as he reached the cave, lowering his flashlight when he saw a figure collapsed on the cave floor._

 _He was hardly aware of the glowing lights that seemed to surround the still figure, until he closed the distance between them. Mark dropped down to his knees, feeling his heart race with dread. Locks of curly brown hair covered her now pale face. Alice had always appeared so small to everyone, and now, she seemed even smaller, if that was possible._

 _He carefully leaned forward, checking to make sure there was still a pulse. She was so still, so fragile looking, that he was afraid she might have been dead. Mark couldn't hide the sigh of relief that followed when he felt a pulse. She was alive, but barely. They all needed to get away from this storm, sooner rather than later._

 _Once that firm decision was made, Mark scooped the tiny toddler into his arms and made his way back out. What he didn't notice was the icy cold feeling of her skin. Or, the fact that the temperature around them had gotten even colder. The camping trip they went on that year had sealed her fate, as well as theirs. Nothing could have prepared them for what would follow after that_.

…

Alice Cooper was beginning to learn that fate worked in mysterious ways. It was fate that forced her into meeting Ben Grimm on the Brooklyn Bridge the night she parted ways with her family. Her life had changed dramatically when she met Doctor Reed Richards, Susan Storm, and Johnny Storm hours later. She never would have expected that she would find herself joining the team that was now known as the Fantastic Five.

Her life had been a mess before any of that. She could still remember the shabby little apartment she called home for a few years before the landlord kicked her out. Money had been difficult to come by since she lived on her own and could only work a minimum wage job because she had no college education. Because she had no money, she couldn't exactly afford food or other necessities.

Meeting Reed and the rest of the team had given her more than she could have ever asked for. He'd offered her a home, and so much more. She knew if it wasn't for them, she would have been jumping from city to city, trying to make ends meet. Having powers like hers meant that she couldn't stick around for too long without someone discovering what she could do. She'd learned the hard way that the world wasn't so accepting of someone who had powers like hers.

There were a few challenges and road bumps along the way. Alice had quickly discovered that her powers were constantly fluctuating. She never had much control over them to begin with, but recently, it seemed as if they were getting worse. Reed had designed a special pair of gloves she could wear that would contain her powers, and help keep her from freezing anything she touched. The problem was, she knew it would only get worse over time.

He'd run more research on her powers to find out what was really going on with them. Because her powers were so similar to the way the rest of the team had gained their powers, he was always trying to figure out where they came from in the first place. He'd warned her that in a way, they were developing much like Johnny's powers and still in their early stages. In a sense, her powers were evolving just like the rest of the team's powers.

That alone was enough to leave Alice wondering if it was safe for her to even be out in public. She was always worried about hurting the people she cared about. But, if her powers had the ability to cause a second ice age, and worse, she knew that something would need to be done about it.

She shook her head at the thought, knowing full-well that was only one major issue she had to worry about. Another issue led to that of none other than Johnny Storm himself. The Human Torch had a knack for making her life a living hell, even without realizing it. When he asked her out on a date that night after stopping Doom, she'd nearly fallen over in shock. It wasn't as if she possessed any of the qualities in the women that he seemed interested in. She was perfectly below average as far as she was concerned. Yet, Johnny's persistence had left her wishing that she could slug him across the face and call it a day.

Acting on violence wasn't something that she planned on doing unless it was a last resort. Sue still looked out for Johnny purely for the sake that they were siblings. That would never change. Though they still had their share of arguments, Sue and Johnny cared about each other like any other sibling would.

Today just happened to be no different as Alice found herself sitting in the airport lobby with the rest of the team as they waited for their flight. With Sue and Reed busy planning their fast-approaching wedding day, Alice couldn't blame them for feeling anxious about going back. Both were sitting together on the rows of chairs, while Ben stood not far away with Alice leaning against the window. She hadn't missed the fact that Johnny was flirting with every woman he could.

 _Why does that not surprise me_? she wondered with a roll of her eyes.

Seeing the way Johnny flirted with every woman made her grateful that she hadn't accepted his offer. As much as she hated to admit it, Johnny wasn't going to change his behavior anytime soon. Not unless someone slapped him in the face and gave him a major wake up call.

" _Last night, the F.A.A was forced to ground all aircraft, leaving thousands stranded, when electronic failures and mysterious power failures crippled the western United States. But the big story today – the much anticipated wedding of the fantastic couple, Reed Richards and Sue Storm will take place this Saturday_."

Alice turned her attention to the television as a report about the latest incident occurred. Though, she was more annoyed over how they were making such a huge deal out of Reed and Sue's wedding. The whole thing had been blown over proportion, and she couldn't blame them for wanting to just get this done and over with.

"Unbelievable," Reed shook his head in disbelief, "Bizarre anomalies occurring all over the world, and all the media wants to know is what china pattern we picked out."

Reed himself was reading the newspaper while trying to ignore what the news station was babbling on about. Alice was just thankful she hadn't been the center of attention. For a short time, the media had tried focusing on her when they found out she hadn't been on the space station with Reed and the others. Alice wasn't a fan of crowds to begin with, because of her powers. But, the media only made it worse by hounding her constantly, until focusing on Reed and Sue's wedding.

"Hey, which one did you pick?" Ben asked as he leaned forward, "The blue ones with the little flowers? 'Cause I really liked them."

She couldn't hide the small smile at Ben's comment. Of all the people eager about this wedding, Ben had been the most excited. Reed was his best friend after all. He and Sue had also been good friends, even before Reed decided to propose to her. But, this wedding had taken the cake. Literally.

Before he could ask another question, or engage further in the conversation, Ben was pulled away by an older woman. Alice looked over her shoulder to see two younger boys watching eagerly. She almost smirked at the sight, noticing how much more welcoming Ben was to having his picture taken with the kids. He enjoyed those moments, especially when he realized that these kids looked up to him as a hero, rather than a monster.

"It's happening again, isn't it?" Sue's question was enough to catch Alice's attention.

Lately, their wedding had been interrupted by distress calls or other nonsense spreading throughout the world. Alice couldn't blame Sue for feeling anxious about getting this done and over with. Knowing what was to come, and that this would likely be something the Fantastic Five would have to answer, Sue had every right to worry.

"No, we're not postponing anything! Not this time!" Reed replied, the firmness in his tone enough to tell Alice that even _he_ doubted himself. Sue just stared at the floor, clearly unsure whether she should trust him, or not, "This is going to be the wedding that you've always dreamed of, and, I'm not going to let anything get in the way of that. Not even the mysterious transformation of matter at a subatomic level."

"You might wanna get that in writing, Sue," Alice warned her with a cheeky grin while ignoring the incredulous look Reed gave her.

She couldn't resist poking fun at Reed's inability to turn down a project or the chance to work on anything science-related. He made it too easy. Besides, it wasn't as if she wasn't lying. Reed did have a tendency to get himself wrapped in whatever project the government asked him to take part in.

"That's the most romantic thing you've ever said to me, Reed," Sue whispered, leaning further into him with her arms wrapped around him.

"Which is really pathetic, when you think about it," Johnny chuckled as he joined them, brushing past Alice in the process. She flinched at the sudden heat he gave off. Whereas she was ice, he was all fire. She had already learned the hard way that fire and ice weren't exactly a good mix, especially since his powers were, in a way, similar to her own. "By the way, you planning on doing anything when we get back?" he asked, turning to look at her curiously.

"You really don't get the concept of 'off-limits', do you?" she quipped, narrowing her eyes as he flashed her a charming smile.

About the only time he stopped flirting with her was when he was caught red-handed by the rest of the team. Though even then, he would often push the limits of what he could or couldn't do while out in public.

"Ah, come on. You're just a ray of sunshine that needs a little fun every once in a while," he reminded her with another laugh.

"'Sunshine'? I thought that was your nickname, Torch," she retorted, eyes brimming with annoyance as Johnny leaned further into her.

The smirk written across his face said it all. As annoying as Johnny could be most of the time, he did have his rare moments where she could actually tolerate his presence. This was not one of those times, though. She was already beginning to look for an escape route, wondering how he couldn't seem to figure out why she refused to open up to him.

"You know, I could always be your wing-man at the wedding ceremony," he pointed out, the mischief dancing across his eyes enough for Alice to roll her eyes knowingly.

"You're an idiot, Johnny," she muttered, pushing him away after realizing what he was implying. There was no way in hell she planned on letting him take advantage of her. Not with so much at stake. "And, the answer to your question is, no."

His smirk turned into a frown when he finally figured out what she meant by that. He was ready to say something else when he caught the glare Reed was giving him. Even Johnny knew better than to push any further under that piercing glare.

"Doctor Richards." An employee walked over to them and greeted them, "I'm very sorry, but it seems we're overbooked. We do have some seats in coach, though."

Reed turned around and looked at Ben, who was now holding up a couple of children by the hem of their shirts. Alice couldn't help but follow his gaze, knowing that Ben was getting a kick out of all the kids who seemed to admire him, now.

"That should be fine," he replied.

…

Ben was walking through the aisle of the plane, ticket in his hand. He looked at each seat number before reaching the number on his ticket. An older gentleman and woman were sitting in the two seats that would be needed for him. Ben looked at them apologetically.

"Uh, that's my seat," he told them. The pair looked at him with wide eyes as he tried to wedge between them. "Sorry," he grunted as the man sitting beside him stood up and moved to the aisle.

Ben finally scooted into his seat and plopped into it. Despite the uncomfortable moment, Alice noticed that he was having a better time adjusting with his larger size than most people would. She took her own seat by the window just as Reed was watching the flight attendants close the storage compartments. He discretely stretched his arm and put the suitcase he was holding into an empty compartment a woman was trying to fill.

 _We're all beginning to learn how to utilize our abilities_ , Alice realized, almost smirking at the thought. It amazed her at how quickly they all adapted to using their abilities. Sue used it mostly to escape the constant threat of reporters hounding her. Johnny, being the annoying ass he was, learned how to fly with his abilities. Alice, on the other hand, was still trying to cope with her own powers.

She realized with a start that sooner or later, she too would need to learn how to adapt with her powers. Maybe, that was why she constantly lost control. She knew that it was partly her own fault for fearing what she could do. But, there was so much more going on than even Reed or the rest of the team understood.

Johnny joined them moments later, walking over to where Reed and Sue were sitting with Alice sitting behind them. She'd taken a seat by the aisle, preferring not to sit by the window. Though, she regretted that choice now as Johnny leaned against the seat, his presence enough to remind her how annoying he could be.

"What do you think of getting an endorsement from an airline?" he asked. "Get us a private jet?"

Alice only rolled her eyes at that. They had enough endorsement deals as it was. The government had offered them enough to last a lifetime, as far as she was concerned. Besides, if something went horribly wrong during one of their misadventures, the government could just as easily turn its back on them.

"I think we have enough endorsement deals, Johnny," Sue voiced her thoughts.

That was one of the many things they agreed on. Johnny's inability to see what was 'too much' had always irritated Alice. He'd pushed her into an uncomfortable position when he tried asking her out. She simply turned him down, knowing that would end in disaster.

She could still remember reeling from shock over that question. It had been sprung so suddenly that she didn't really have a chance to respond. There were multiple reasons why she had never pursued that path.

"That is funny," Johnny said absentmindedly, "No, but seriously. Reed, it could help you subsidize all your little inventions."

"No thanks," Reed answered before closing the compartment above him.

A woman tapped on Johnny's shoulder.

"Excuse me," she said, letting him know he was in her seat. Alice bit back a groan when she realized the woman would be sitting beside her.

She had gotten better at opening up to the team, though, not to the point of spilling her darkest secrets. The same could not be said for strangers, though. She still had the same expectations from strangers thanks to her father. He'd taught her that trust was something that had to be earned.

"Consider it," Johnny told them before walking off, "I'll talk to you guys later."

"Johnny, where are you going?" Sue asked.

"I don't fly coach," Johnny replied, gesturing to all the people in the plane.

She nearly rolled her eyes at that, already aware of what Johnny had in mind when it came to not flying coach. He took full advantage of his abilities, something of which annoyed her to no end. Where Johnny wasn't afraid to show off his abilities, she was terrified of unleashing hers in the public. Yet another major difference between them.

Alice pulled on her headphones once the plane took off. She didn't plan on socializing with anyone while they were on their way to their destination. Though, the minute she saw something glowing beside her window was when she rolled her eyes in disgust.

A flaming human was flying beside the window, waving to the woman sitting beside her. And, of course, the woman took notice and grinned back with a wave of her own. Alice finally scoffed in disgust and tugged on the shade, having had enough.

"I hope it rains," she muttered under her breath.

* * *

 **AN: Here's the second part! Remember, reviews and feedback on how the story is going are appreciated. As far as the story is concerned, the second part is probably going to involve a lot of flashbacks throughout the beginning of each chapter, revolving around Alice and her old family. Mostly, I want to delve deeper into how she got her powers in the first place. Something of which I failed to do in the original. At any rate, thanks everyone for reading this, so far, and please remember to leave a review!**


	12. Part Two, Chapter Two

**Part Two, Chapter Two**

 _It was late by the time Mark and Helena were able to take their daughter to the hospital. After managing to escape the worst of the storm and returning to the city just hours later, they were not prepared for the fact that Alice had not woken up, yet. She lost consciousness during the storm while out in the cave. They were becoming increasingly worried that something far worse had happened to her, and neither wanted to admit that this had been their fault._

 _"I don't know what to say," the doctor sighed after running a diagnosis on her symptoms, "From the readings I was able to pick up, it seems as if everything appears normal. She just might be in a state of shock from the storm."_

 _Mark's fists clenched at the thought. She had to be fine. After everything that happened, they had a reputation to uphold. If anyone found out that something had happened to Alice because of them, their family would never hear the end of it. It had taken him years to build up the reputation they now had. He wasn't going to allow one mistake shatter that reputation.  
_

 _"What about her skin?" Helena asked hesitantly, "When I tried touching her skin, it was cold as ice just hours after the storm. Is that normal?"_

 _Reluctantly, the doctor shook his head. He mulled over the endless list of possibilities that could have led to her cold skin. Death was not an option – she still had a pulse and was very much alive._

 _"In most cases, she would have contracted a fever from being out in the rain for that amount of time," he informed them, "And, if that were the case, she'd be burning up. Her temperature keeps dropping by the hour, which worries me that something else is going on here." He paused to let this sink in as Mark exchanged a worried look with Helena. "I want to run some more tests and see if there's a way of getting her temperature back to normal."_

 _"This cannot make it out to the public," Mark snapped as the doctor wrote down notes on a clipboard. The doctor rose an eyebrow in surprise at that, "If they find out what's happened tonight, they'll never let me live it down."_

 _"Mr. Cooper, I don't think you're aware of the severity of the situation," the doctor sighed in frustration, running a hand through his hair. "Your child shows a case that I've never seen before; exposure to radioactive energy like that should have killed her; scientists are going to want to solve this case before it develops into something worse."_

 _Mark let out his own sigh of frustration when he realized where this was headed. Helena held a hand to her mouth, unable to hide the look of shock that followed. Her baby girl could have died from that storm. She couldn't imagine a worse fate for anyone, let alone a three-year-old toddler._

 _"Is she going to die?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper._

 _"I can't make any promises that won't be kept," the doctor admitted ruefully. "I've never seen anything like this."_

 _No. They were not going to let this go public. Mark's jaw set with determination as he shoved his way past the doctor, stunning both the doctor and Helena as he reached the hospital bed and pulled off the IVs. He turned to glare at the doctor, his eyes dark with fury._

 _"I will not let you ruin my family's reputation, doctor," he growled out, ignoring the look Helena was giving him, "Our child is perfectly normal, and she will remain that way."_

 _For a moment, the doctor considered filing charges against the man, or at least calling in security. However, when he saw that look of determination in Mark's eyes, he knew better than to interfere. He technically couldn't force them into anything, and simply allowed Mark to pick up the little girl and leave before anything else could be said. However, as the doctor turned towards the alarm that kept going off, he hadn't missed that the girl's temperature had dropped to a dangerously low level. This was not going to end well, for anyone_.

…

Music blasted from her headphones as Alice leaned against the back of a rolling chair in the lab. Reed was typing away on a flat screen as Sue approached him. Truthfully, Alice was trying to avoid talking to anyone. She never found it easy when it came to admitting if something was bothering her to anyone. Sue and Reed were usually the only ones capable of getting her to talk if she was in the mood. Fortunately, when Reed became focused on a project, he rarely spoke to anyone. Alice took that to her full advantage until she noticed that Sue was saying something.

"… trying to charge us for three squad cars they say we destroyed. It was during that armored car robbery, but I only remembered two squad cars getting thrown," Sue announced.

Alice took off her earpiece when she realized that she was responsible for the third squad car. Reed had stopped her from destroying any other, but he never really told Sue what had happened. And the guilt from earlier came rushing back as she thought of everything she could have done to prevent it from happening.

"Mmhmm," Reed mumbled, still focused on whatever he was working on. Alice tried not to laugh when Sue turned the device invisible in his hands. That seemed to catch Reed's attention. "Alright, alright, I'm putting it away," he reassured her before putting the invisible devise down, "you were saying?"

"I have a fitting in a half an hour, the musicians after that," she reached forward and took his hand in hers, sounding more stressed than usual, "and I haven't even picked place settings or the flowers." She took a deep breath. "There's just too much to do."

"Hey, don't worry about it." He placed his hands around her arms. "I'm sure between the two of us, we'll get it all done."

"And what were you doing when I just walked in?" Sue asked, gesturing to the still invisible devise.

"I was inputting my to-do list," he replied.

Alice resisted the urge to roll her eyes. By now, Reed had become a pro at lying. She saw right through it though, and was half tempted to tell Sue the truth, but she knew better. The last thing she wanted was to cause a rift between them, especially with things as tense as they were. Besides, their wedding was only a couple of days away. They deserved every bit of peace they could get before their big day.

"Really?"

"Scouts honor," he replied, lifting three fingers in a salute.

Alice sighed and was ready to put her earphones back in when she saw Johnny enter the room. She found herself immediately straighten up and stiffen at his presence. She knew it was purely out of instinct. When her father had been around, she would always try to make herself seem busy. Anything to keep him from discovering that he had another reason to punish her.

"Hey guys, new uniforms just showed up." Johnny walked in, carrying the new uniform. It was covered in logos of various stores and companies. Alice made a face of disgust when she saw it. "What do you think?" he asked.

His face fell when Sue scowled at him.

"I think there's no way we're wearing that, Johnny," Sue muttered as she walked past him and out of the lab.

"What do you have against capitalism?" Johnny yelled after her.

He turned his attention to the object placed in the middle of the lab. It was actually a plane that Reed had started working on months ago. Alice helped out every now and then, and she enjoyed working alongside him. To her surprise, his patience and ability to teach her new things had never ceased. Maybe that was why they got along so well.

Johnny, on the other hand, was a whole different story. Alice still didn't know what to make of him. Try as she might, she knew she couldn't avoid him forever. Johnny would always be the ever-present pest in her life, trying to worm his way into her heart. She built up those walls for a reason, and she preferred keeping people out because of them.

"What's this?" Johnny asked as he noticed the object covered in a cloth.

"Just a hobby of mine," Reed replied.

"Yeah? Would it make a good toy, or is it something, uh, science-y?"

He walked over and reached out a hand towards the object in question. Alice rose an eyebrow as she figured out immediately what he was about to do. Johnny had a tendency to peek at things he shouldn't. New tech and toys that Reed had been working on happened to be one of them. Not that that notion surprised Alice. Johnny's curiosity would get the better of him one of these days.

"A little bit of both," Reed replied, and not missing what Johnny was about to do, he scolded him, "Uh-uh."

Johnny lifted his hands in mock surrender, unsurprised that Reed had caught him red handed.

"Curiosity is going to kill the cat," Alice muttered under her breath after pulling out an earbud.

Reed only typed away faster on the screen, but she could see that he was struggling to hide a smirk. His ability to type faster than anyone else had always fascinated Alice.

"You know, I've always been both amazed yet disgusted by that," Johnny said after watching for a few seconds.

"Yeah, Sue says I'm addicted to it."

Alice only rolled her eyes before focusing her attention on the work set on the desk she sat at. She'd been focusing lately on the samples that Reed had taken from her blood, mostly because her powers were so similar to that of the team and how they received their powers. The way she received them had always been a mystery, one that she had been determined to solve.

She could feel Johnny looking at her as she tried ignoring his presence entirely. The last thing she wanted, or needed, was to be put on the spotlight again. Unfortunately, Johnny always seemed to find some way of dragging her into the conversation when he could.

"Hey, Johnny," Reed said after realizing Alice was only keeping herself distracted. He looked down the screens into the hallway to make sure Sue wasn't watching. Alice suspected she was long-gone, relieved to be out of the busy lab. "Keep it quiet, but, I've been cross-referencing and analyzing the global occurrences."

Alice suddenly looked up at that. Reed had been worried that maybe these global occurrences had something to do with her powers. Or, that they were somehow connected. Admittedly, she had wondered the same thing. They had been working together on building the machine in the hopes of finding the answers to their questions. Telling Johnny, though was a bad idea. Alice didn't like the idea of sharing any information with him, especially when she knew how much he loved the limelight.

" _We_ cross referenced and analyzed the global occurrences," Reed corrected himself after realizing he'd left her out. Alice gave the tiniest nods of satisfaction before glancing back at the screens. "Anyway, they're being caused by cosmic radiation, but not like the kind that gave us our powers."

Johnny pulled up a rolling chair and parked it next to Alice. She did her best to ignore his presence, flinching at the warmth that radiated off of him. Johnny always seemed to have a way of irritating everyone he was close to, including herself. She knew he had been working on trying to calm down since joining the team. But she also knew that old habits died hard.

"Wow, that's really boring," Johnny said after taking in what Reed had told him. Alice only rolled her eyes at his response. "So, listen, I've gotta very important wedding issue to talk to you about."

He slid his chair over to Reed with a smirk of amusement. Alice did her best to ignore the constant side-glances Johnny would send her along the way.

"Yeah, of course."

"Your bachelor party."

Reed's reaction was priceless, and by now Alice was trying not to laugh at his expression. Johnny raised an eyebrow, still waiting for an answer. Eventually Reed seemed to realize that he was waiting for one, and he pulled away.

"No, seriously, Johnny."

"John," he said.

"Huh?"

"Focus testing showed that 'Johnny' skewed a little too young," he explained with a shrug.

"Well, I thought you were all about that," Alice muttered under her breath. Her response earned a look of surprise from Reed, while Johnny just rolled his eyes. Considering how many times he'd tried flirting with her, she knew exactly how he acted around women. His attitude reminded her of a little boy just begging for attention. "After all, don't you love it when girls are hanging off your arms, pining for your attention?"

There was an edge to her voice that hadn't been there, before. Johnny threw his head up at that, eyes widening as Reed gave him a stern look. While she never told him or anyone else of Johnny's intentions towards her, they were becoming aware of the obvious tension between them.

"Seriously, Johnny," Reed snapped. "No bachelor party. It's not my type of thing."

Yeah, no kidding. Alice had never seen Reed as the type to enjoy large parties, let alone bachelor parties. Johnny was only doing this to hire women and drink the night away. Johnny only rolled his eyes and pushed himself over to where Reed was sitting.

"Then do it for Ben," he begged. "It means a lot to the big guy. You're gonna break his heart." Reed rolled his chair to the other side of the platform. "He does have some sort of rock-like heart, doesn't he?"

"I've got too much to do before the wedding. Frankly, I think Sue might have a problem with it." Johnny rolled over to where Reed was at.

"You know what, I think Sue would have a problem with?" Reed rolled his eyes and rolled to the other side of the platform. Alice had watched them both do that about a dozen times, and she was getting dizzy from it. "If somebody told her that you were actually investigating global disturbances and cosmic radiation instead of focusing on the wedding, like you promised."

Alice almost gaped at Johnny's proposition. What sort of fool blackmailed his own friend? Or were they even considered that? She sighed and shook her head as Reed finally realized Johnny had him beaten. He rolled over and looked at Johnny warily.

"A bachelor party could be fun," he finally said.

"Yes!" Johnny nearly did a fist pump at that answer.

"But no exotic dancers."

Johnny's face fell, and he visibly deflated at that.

"You just wanna suck the joy out of everything," he half-mumbled before looking at Alice. "You know, you're more than welcome to join the rest of us bachelors."

"Keep your pants on, Torch," she rolled her eyes as she stood up and stretched, "Last thing I need is to be stuck at some boring party, especially if it's hosted by _you_."

If she didn't know any better, she would have thought Johnny was laughing when he too stood up and reached her. She hadn't missed the warning look Reed threw him. Though, if Johnny noticed, he gave no indication.

"One of these days, Frost… I know I'll worm my way into that frozen heart of yours," he retorted, the mischief in his eyes obvious enough.

Alice just snorted at that, pushing him away with ease, "I'd sooner freeze you than let that happen," she snapped.

The blond only laughed when she walked way, leaving him to face the music once she was gone. Even Reed hadn't missed the tension building between Alice and Johnny. Something needed to be done about before either of them hurt each other without realizing it.

"Since when did you get interested in Alice?" he demanded as Johnny's face finally deflated once more.

He shook his head and ran a hand through his hair, feeling slightly embarrassed that he had to explain himself at all, "When she turned down an offer to go on a date with me," he admitted. "I've only known about three women who refuse to go on a date with me, her being one of them."

"And, you consider that a challenge?" Reed guessed, hardly believing his ears.

Luckily, Alice was smart enough not to let herself get romanced by Johnny's charm. She'd heard enough of his reputation to know better. Then again, it was painfully obvious that a relationship was the last thing on her mind, at the moment.

"Hell, yeah, I consider that a challenge!" Johnny boasted, eyes brimming with amusement as he caught the scathing look Reed threw him, "Come on; how many other women am I gonna meet who are like her? She hasn't once tried opening up to me."

"There might be a reason for that, Johnny," Reed pointed out, gesturing to the fact that Johnny had used his project as an excuse to throw a bachelor party.

Johnny just crossed his arms and looked back at Reed defiantly. Hell, he liked Alice. Not just because she was different from other women he met. There was something almost… _alluring_ about the way she kept turning him down. That only encouraged him to go after her even more, and finally win the prize he'd been after.

"I know I can win her over," he snapped his fingers together after uncrossing his arms, "It's just a matter of time before she's swooning over me."

Reed only shook his head in disbelief as Johnny left to get things together for the bachelor party. He knew that a date with Johnny Storm would only end in disaster. Especially if that someone happened to be Alice. She had enough problems as it was without Johnny making it worse. Whatever happened, he just hoped they were ready for it. Otherwise, they were all screwed.


	13. Part Two, Chapter Three

**Part Two, Chapter Three**

The gym had become a bit of a sanctuary for Alice, after she met the team. Like the warehouse where she used to practice wielding her powers, it became like a safehouse, for her. The team rarely stopped by to disturb her, unless it was an emergency. The only person who never seemed to take 'no' for an answer was Johnny, and he would often try to intervene with her workouts.

She suspected he only stopped to see her when she was in nothing more than a sports bra and shorts. She regretted asking the one time he had interrupted her, when he leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and his blue eyes glowing with their usual mischief.

"I'm just enjoying the show," he had quipped in a joking manner, though she knew for a fact that he was being serious.

His response was enough for her to falter mid-step. She had already prepared a laundry list of insults for responses when he closed the distance between them. When it came to having his way, Johnny always seemed to find one. Alice had frozen on the spot, feeling her heart race a little faster than usual when his warm hands reached her bare arms.

"You have a beautiful complexion, Frost," he added with another ear-shitting grin.

While his smile charmed its way into the hearts of many women, Alice just found it all the more annoying when she realized what he was trying to do. He tried more than enough times to flirt with her when Reed and Sue weren't looking. She learned how to push away whatever attempts he made at worming his way into her heart. Even so, Johnny was persistent, and he refused to give up when it came to getting his way.

"Nice try, _Torch_ ," she retorted, wrenching herself free from his grip. "One, I hate that nickname, and two, I don't have any interests in a narcissistic jerk."

Her words seemed to have no effect on him. If anything, he took it as a challenge. He'd dubbed that nickname ever since, using it as an opportunity to annoy the crap out of her. Alice almost wished she could punch that grin off his stupid face, and make a run for it. There was nothing on this planet that would change her mind about Johnny Storm.

Alice shook her head at the thought, finally pulling off her gloves as her mind wandered back to the present. She knew that she was losing control of her powers more frequently. She knew the fluctuations could only mean that things were about to go from bad to worse. When Reed mentioned that her powers were evolving in the same way theirs had, the thought terrified her. She was already dangerous enough without her powers getting stronger with each passing day.

Chips of ice were already forming along the tips of her fingers. A shudder ran through Alice as she tried brushing the ice off, knowing her efforts were in vein. What scared her the most was that these powers were getting worse.

She had begged Reed to build a safe room for her where she could isolate herself from the rest of the world. Where she wouldn't have to worry about hurting anyone. She didn't care if she had to spend the rest of her life there alone. If it meant keeping everyone else safe, that was what mattered to her the most.

"What is wrong with me?" she whispered.

Her back sagged against the wall as she dropped to the floor, trying to steady her shaky breathing. She never felt more terrified than at that moment. She tried to focus on anything _but_ her powers as she put the glove back on.

"Hey, are you alright?" Alice was shaken from her thoughts at the sound of Sue's voice. She looked up in time to see the blond looking at her in alarm. Sue carefully slid down against the wall beside her so that they were within eye-level, and sensed that not everything was alright, "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"I don't think this is something I should be talking about," she shook her head, not missing the look Sue gave her.

She flinched when Sue took hold of her hand and squeezed it gently. Human contact was rare for her. People were so afraid of touching her because her skin was icy cold. Sue, Ben and Johnny were the rare exceptions to that rule.

"Sweetie, you know if there's anything bothering you, that you can share it with me, right?" Sue reminded her.

Alice let out a sigh of frustration as she looked at anything but Sue. She rarely opened up to anyone. Part of it was purely out of habit, while another part of her was afraid of how people would react if she told them at all. Living with her father had built up a wall that she used as self-defense from people who tried figuring her out. Sue of all people knew that, and she did what she could to make Alice feel more comfortable around people.

"I'm afraid," she finally admitted, earning a look of surprise from Sue, "I'm so afraid, of losing control. My powers keep fluctuating, and Reed thinks it has something to do with how I got my powers in the first place. What if I accidentally hurt someone, because of that?"

"Alice," Sue began, unsure of where to even start with something like this, "No one would ever blame you if anything like this happened. Reed's going to find a way to help; I know he can."

She chewed the bottom of her lip, wondering if that was even possible, at this point. Reed had already been busy enough with the wedding and everything else, that he didn't have time to focus on her. Besides, she didn't want to make his life anymore difficult than it already was.

"I don't want to be a burden," she muttered.

Sue was ready to say something else, when they both heard the security system give them an alert, "Miss Storm, I believe the army is here to pay Doctor Richards a visit," the computerized voice of Roberto warned them.

A sense of relief swept through Alice at the sudden change in subject. The last thing she wanted was to add to Sue's list of growing concerns. Both she and Reed had enough to worry about as it was to focus their attention on someone like her. If there was one thing she had learned about her living with her parents, it was that she couldn't be a distraction. And she had been nothing more than a distraction from day one to the team.

Multiple black cars were parked outside the Baxter building when Alice and Sue made their way down the elevator and to the lobby. She couldn't shake off the sense that the army was here for more than just a regular visit. Recent news regarding the anomalies across the world had left everyone shaken, and, something needed to be done about them.

The soldier – who Alice quickly realized was actually a general, had taken off his hat in a formal greeting when he faltered. The woman standing in front of him was actually a hologram. Roberto was a security program Reed had designed after realizing _something_ was needed to warn him when they had visitors. He spent so many hours in the lab that it was necessary.

"How can we help you?" Alice greeted the general warily.

She didn't miss the look he was giving her. She could already feel him trying to pick her apart, scrutinizing her very appearance. Not for the first time, a shiver of unease swept through Alice as she finally broke eye contact and looked down at the floor to avoid that piercing glare.

"We're here to see Doctor Richards," the general replied in a formal, curt tone.

"I'm sorry, but, he isn't here," Sue apologized after furrowing her brows together. Alice winced at the mention of Reed, knowing that he would be out for most of the night with Ben and Johnny. She'd promised him that she wouldn't tell Sue, but, it seemed as if life was going to throw a monkey-wrench in his plan, "Is there anything _we_ can help you with?" she asked, repeating what Alice had asked.

"Yes. You can take me to see Doctor Richards," the general insisted.

She only glared at the general, suddenly aware that this was serious business he had to attend with. The one thing she hated about the army was their constant need to interfere with everything. That, and her own father had threatened to call in the army on a daily basis when she was younger. She would never forget the threats he constantly used to keep her in line.

"Okay," Sue replied, keeping on a straight face.

…

The party was in full swing when they headed towards the building. Unfortunately, Alice was forced to give away the location. She had overheard Johnny telling Reed and Ben where it was. The vehicles were following them at a close distance until they arrived. People stood outside, either drinking, laughing, kissing, or doing all of the above. Alice rolled her eyes at the sight as she climbed out of the car.

"Sounds like things are getting a little wild in there," she muttered under her breath.

Sue just smirked at her before heading inside, then narrowing her eyes at what they saw next.

Reed was stretching out his arms and legs. Johnny and Ben watched from the bar until noticing the new arrivals. Alice felt her heart race as she noticed the soldier was glaring at them. He pushed his way through the gathering crowd and stood beside Sue, whose expression was difficult to read at this point.

"There he is," the soldier said.

"Yes," Sue answered. "Unfortunately." He laughed and continued dancing with the girls, oblivious to the fact that Sue was watching. Alice tried not to smirk as she wondered what Sue would do next. He was completely oblivious to the fact that they were watching them. "For him."

Reed finally took notice of them, and his face fell.

"Shall we?" Alice asked, gesturing for them to lead the way. "You go on ahead, I'll get the others," she added to Sue. She walked over to where Ben and Johnny were sitting. Their backs were turned on her, and Alice rolled her eyes once again. "You can stop hiding now," she snapped, pulling Johnny out of his seat before glancing at Ben. He just looked at her apologetically. "Come on, General Hagar wants to speak with us somewhere private."

"In private? As in, just the two of us?" Johnny asked, blue eyes brimming with laughter as Alice rolled her eyes in disgust and shoved past him.

With the music blasting in the background, and everything else, Alice struggled to keep her emotions in check. She knew this would be an awful place to lose control. Especially when she saw so many people in one room together, who were probably drunk out of their minds to notice anything out of the ordinary.

She was just thankful no one took an interest in her. Of course, few people would take interest in someone with so little self-esteem to begin with. That was what had led to the many questions regarding Johnny's persistence in asking her out.

"How does Reed know the General?" Sue asked as they headed for the kitchen.

"A few years back, the guy was trying to push a missile defense system. Reed testified that the technology didn't work," Ben explained in a whisper.

"I'm only here, Richards, because I'm here under orders from the Joint Chief's of Staff," General Hagar said. "Personally, I don't agree with sharing sensitive information with a civilian scientist, especially one who enjoys the public spotlight so much."

Alice watched in annoyance as Johnny got comfortable and leaned into the counter, resting his chin on his hands. She hadn't missed the wink he gave the woman who was assisting the general, that evening. Or, the fact that the woman hadn't returned the gesture.

"Always a pleasure to see you too, General," Reed said with a chuckle. "What can I do for you?"

"As you may know, there have been recent unusual occurrences all over the world. Officially, we've downplayed their significance to the public, but, we're concerned that these anomalies might pose a credible threat to our national security."

She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, suddenly aware that these same people probably considered _her_ a national threat. If she was being honest with herself, she wouldn't blame them for thinking that way. She knew for a fact that if anything went wrong with her powers, she would want someone to put a stop to it, and her, if necessary.

"These were taken by one of our spy satellites three days ago," Hagar continued as Reed pulled up the file he spoke of.

Alice looked at the four pictures thoughtfully. They showed what looked almost like a silver object flying through the air. The odd thing about the picture was that the object seemed to pulsate with its own energy, telling her that whoever was behind said picture had some form of intelligence.

"What is it?" Sue asked.

"We were hoping Doctor Richards could tell us."

"I'm afraid I've never seen anything like this," Reed admitted.

He handed the pictures over to Ben, who studied them carefully.

"Well, I would say that it's a meteor, but the trail's all wrong. This thing's giving off its own energy," he explained.

"Take a look at this," Hagar said after being informed of what it probably wasn't.

"These have been appearing in remote areas throughout the world since the events started," the woman explained as Reed studied the craters they were showing, "Field estimates its diameter to be two hundred meters."

"If we're going to find out what this is all about, we need a way to locate and intercept the object," Hagar explained.

The woman made the mistake of looking over at Johnny. Alice tried not to glare when she noticed that Johnny was giving her the infamous smirk that made any woman's heart melt. By now she had grown used to the effects of his charm. And it looked as though the woman could care less one way or the other.

"It'd be possible to build a sensor, tie it to the Baxter building satellite grid," Reed told them. Alice didn't miss the way Sue's face fell. "And we can pinpoint the exact location of the object."

"Good, so then you'll build a sensor for us, we'll tie that to the—"

"I'm afraid I can't," Reed cut him off.

All eyes were on Reed as Hagar looked at him in disbelief. He rarely turned down the opportunity for a science project. Especially one on this scale. Though, when Alice saw the look written across Sue's face, she understood where Reed was getting at.

"What?"

He stepped back and wrapped his arm around Sue.

"You see, I'm getting married this Saturday. I just don't have a time."

"Richards, your country needs your help," Hagar insisted.

Alice didn't miss the tension passing between the two. Hagar didn't like the situation anymore than Reed did. What bothered her more than anything, though, was how he seemed to be using the country's need as a way to gain Reed's support. There were people who were just as qualified as Reed to build the machine in question.

"Look, why don't you call Professor Jeff Wagner?" Reed suggested. "He's the head of the physics department at Brown. I'm sure he can help you."

Hagar made a motion for the soldiers to clean up their stuff.

"I expected more, Richards, even from you," he said in an accusing tone.

The woman shot one look at Johnny, but of course he rose an eyebrow and flashed her that ear-shitting grin again. It wasn't as if Alice had ever cared in the first place, but, she felt slightly triumphant that one other woman had ignored Johnny's presence most of the time.

The car drove away as Hagar and the other soldier got into it. Alice stood next to the woman soldier, who she later learned was Frankie. An uncomfortable silence fell upon them as Alice watched the car that slowly approached them. And of course, Johnny chose that moment to stand next to Frankie's other side.

"John Storm. Fantastic Five Inc," he introduced himself and offered a hand for a formal greeting. Frankie blew him off, much to Alice's surprise. "You ever done any professional modeling?"

"Not interested," Frankie suddenly snapped.

She didn't even pass him a second glance. The whole thing would have been hilarious, if Alice hadn't realized what Johnny was doing in front of her. She was more than annoyed when he tried pulling off moves on her, then moved on to the next woman as if she didn't matter, anymore.

"Cause you've got an amazing complexion."

"Not interested."

Her statement was final as her ride pulled up. Alice watched on in amusement as she completely blew Johnny off in his attempts at flirting with her. The look on his face was priceless. Alice almost wished she could have high-fived the woman.

"Wow, and you—" Johnny paused as he scratched his neck, confused by Frankie's reaction. "—just walked away. I was definitely still talking."

"Well, I can't say that I'm not enjoying the fact that another woman just blew off your affection, Torch," Alice muttered under her breath, earning a look from Johnny.

"How would you know what 'affection' is?" he scoffed, crossing his arms as she narrowed her eyes. "You're about as cold as it gets."

"Do you even listen to yourself?" she snapped, suddenly wishing a hole would open up and swallow her. Those type of comments were the reason why she refused to open up around him. If he continued seeing her as nothing more than a symbol, then there wasn't any point in letting him in. "You're so full of arrogance that you can't even understand why she brushed you off."

For once, Johnny didn't know what to say when she said that. She let out a huff of frustration and stormed off, leaving him there to figure out what she meant by that.


	14. Part Two, Chapter Four

**Part Two, Chapter Four**

 _It was only a few months after returning from the hospital that Alice began developing some… unusual abilities. Mark had been insistent that they avoid the hospital at all cost, now, along with any doctor appointments. After seeing how she was able to freeze things on contact, and she had developed skin that was cold as ice, he was terrified of what people would think of their family now. Mutants were not popular with the public, and if they knew Alice turned out to be one of them, word would spread fast about the Cooper family._

 _The problem was, with Helena now close to her due date, they had to visit the hospital sooner or later. They'd soon found out they were having another baby girl. Something that had not gone by unnoticed by Alice. Mark now devoted all of his free time with Helena and making sure that she had a safe, proper child they could raise. Not some freak of a daughter who only seemed to be getting worse with each passing day._

 _Mark tried keeping the temperature in her room higher than all the others in the attempts at keeping her powers under control. It was a failed attempt, because not only did the electric bills go up, but she began losing control more frequently. He'd struggled to maintain his temper around her when he realized how much grief she was causing them. One little kid shouldn't be worth this much trouble. Not when they'd worked so hard to maintain the lifestyle they had._

 _"I don't understand how any of this could've happened in the first place," he grumbled after sitting down beside Helena, whose hands rested on her large belly. Helena had tried making the most out of the situation. She didn't bother trying to interfere with Mark's plans, or the fact that he was destroying what little innocence Alice had left. It was better not to get involved as far as she was concerned, "None of this should have happened; we're all perfectly normal, and now we've got a freak for a daughter who's gonna ruin everything!"_

 _"We both knew things were going to be different, after that storm," Helena reminded him, trying her best not to show any resentment. She had loved Alice. She still did. But, she'd put distance between them ever since Alice started developing her powers. It was purely out of fear that Alice might hurt the baby, and what Mark might do if he caught them together, "The doctor warned us that she would be different. That her vitals were off even after the storm was over."_

 _He only grunted at that, knowing full-well that she was right. They should have never taken that camping trip in the first place. Helena was the one who insisted they should go for the sake of it being their last week of summer. He never had the heart to argue with her. Things had changed dramatically since then. There was no denying that the storm had caused a rift between the family, and that the rift would likely never be repaired._

 _"About the only good thing to come out of this is that we have another baby girl on the way," he muttered under his breath, earning a look from Helena, "At least this baby will be normal, and hopefully we can forget what happened."_

 _Helena made a face at that. As much as she resented her husband for being the main cause of their family rift, she knew he was right. Having another baby would make things better. Neither of them were aware that Alice had been listening the whole time. Nor were they aware that she had climbed the stairs once more, this time aware of the fact that they resented her very existence_.

…

"Hey, what are you doin' up there?"

The familiar, gruff voice of Ben Grimm brought Reed back to reality as he focused his attention on building the machine he'd promised General Hagar. He looked down to see Ben looking at him accusingly. He had been hard at work with the machine, focusing on what needed to get done before the wedding.

Preparations for the wedding itself had been stressful enough to begin with. Between that and these anomalies that threatened half the world, Reed desperately needed to take his mind off of the stress. Though, even _he_ was smart enough to know better than to tell Sue about any of this.

"Nothing. I'm just getting some air," he replied, not bothering to hide the fact that he _was_ working.

Truthfully, he had been using the machine as a distraction from what he should really be focusing on. The wedding had made him nervous. He wasn't going to lie when he admitted he needed every ounce of nerve he had left to pull through this weekend. It was certainly better than drinking away his problems.

"You're buildin' that thing for the general, aren't you?" Ben asked when he got a closer look at the machine. Reed had to look away, knowing he would more than likely regret working on it now, "I'm guessing Susie doesn't know anything about it?"

The thought of Sue discovering his latest project left Reed aware that she would have a fit. Things were tense enough between them when he noticed how distant Alice had been lately. She was avoiding everyone, and it didn't take a genius to know that something was clearly wrong. He'd even asked Sue if she knew what was going on with Alice, and her answer had been just as vague.

As much as Reed hated to admit it, Alice was another problem that they had to worry about later. The wedding and whatever threat this anomaly posed to the world were his main priorities. He just hoped that whatever was bothering Alice wouldn't explode into a firefight within the team.

"Don't worry," Ben assured him, "My lips are sealed… well, that is, they would be if I had any," he added jokingly as Reed smiled and nodded.

Once he turned his attention back on his work, Reed came up with one more plea that would hopefully keep his life in order, at least until the wedding was over, "Could we keep this between us? I'd rather not tell Johnny."

Before Ben could answer, the two were interrupted by the sound of flames roaring in the night filling their ears. Reed frowned when he realized too late that his cover had been blown.

"Don't tell Johnny what?" Johnny asked once he landed on the terrace.

Reed narrowed his eyes when he noticed that Johnny was wearing his 'modified' suit with all the sports memorabilia.

"Great," he groaned under his breath.

As he approached the two, he noticed the satellite and smirked a bit. The playful grin was enough to put Reed on edge. After the last near-disaster Johnny had put him through, he wasn't in any hurry to face whatever plans Johnny had this time. Besides, they were too close to the actual wedding day for him to worry about whatever plans Johnny was formulating at the moment.

"Are you building that thing?" He gestured to the machine as Reed shook his head, though it wasn't as if he could lie now that his cover was blown, "If Sue finds out, you're gonna get an invisible kick in the nuts."

Ben stepped forward and gave Johnny a sincere look, one he hoped Johnny would at least perceive as a warning, "We're gonna keep this quiet," he stated as Johnny looked between him and Reed.

"I know." Johnny paused as he thought of what Alice had told him, the other night. The fact that she had spoken to him at all surprised him. But, her voice had been full of bitterness and resentment, telling him that things between them couldn't have been any worse. "Do you think I'm arrogant?"

His question caught both Ben and Reed off guard. It was so unlike Johnny to ask a question like that that neither men expected it. Reed shared a look with Ben after guessing that question had something to do with the way Alice had been acting lately.

"Hothead, you're the most arrogant bastard I know, other than Vic," Ben retorted, crossing his arms as Johnny hung his head slightly. "Why bring it up?"

"I uh… I may have been talking to someone who might have mentioned I come off as arrogant towards women," he tried backpedaling, ruffling the back of his hair as Reed rolled his eyes and reached him.

"You tried making a move on Alice again, didn't you?" he asked.

"What? No, of course not!" Johnny waved his hands in self-defense. Though, if he was being honest, she was the one who technically started it, "I was hitting on the soldier… in front of her."

"Flameboy never learns," Ben muttered under his breath.

Johnny merely grinned sheepishly, regretting the fact that he brought it up in the first place. He really did want to make up for what had been said, to Alice. The problem was, he didn't even know _how_ to act around her. She was so different from any other woman he'd met. Shaking his head at the thought, he knew he needed to do something to get her out of his head. Thoughts of her only left him wanting her that much more.

"By the way, have you talked to her, lately?" Reed suddenly asked Ben as Johnny left them.

"You're askin' me? Kid's been avoidin' everyone, lately," Ben muttered with a shake of his head, "Somethin' clearly got under her skin, and not in a good way."

Reed shook his head at the thought, aware that something was wrong. When he tried talking to Alice about it, she simply refused to make eye contact and kept reassuring him that everything was fine. Whatever was happening, it couldn't have started at a worse time.

…

If she was being honest with herself, sleep was the last thing on her mind as she sat perched on the end of her bed. Alice sat cross-legged with her arms resting on her legs, trying to mull over what she told Sue. The blond hadn't even known the worst of it; she'd been suffering from nightmares, recently. Nightmares that she knew were more than just nightmares. They were memories of a past she would have rather kept buried.

She could still remember the one night when she came down from the family room back in her old place. She'd listened to her mother and father argue for hours over what to do with her. Her powers had only just begun developing. She had been terrified of what was happening, because she didn't know what to make of her newfound abilities. Powers like that didn't simply occur randomly over the night. What horrified her the most, though was how her father had simply given up on her.

 _He never cared much, to begin with_ , she thought bitterly, squeezing her eyes shut as she pictured the scathing looks he would give her. Things hadn't gotten much better for her after Lana was born. Alice knew that her parents would focus their attention on Lana, and they'd eventually forget she even existed. It was simply a matter of time before they began neglecting all efforts on her.

She shivered and tried pushing thoughts of her father out of her mind. He was nothing but trouble. It felt as though just when things were finally starting to look up, he would ruin everything all over again. She knew the odds of him leaving her alone for the rest of her life were slim. Signed documents or not, Reed couldn't protect her forever. Her father would find some way of worming his way back into her life again, and she couldn't shake off the feeling that when he did, disaster would soon follow.

It wasn't until hearing a knock on the door that Alice was shaken from her thoughts. Her eyes narrowed as she stood up, not sure who would be visiting her at this hour. Ben was with Alicia, Reed had been staying away from Sue due to the wedding being only a day away, and Sue herself was staying at a friend's house. One name came across her mind as she realized who would have the audacity to visit at this hour.

 _I'm going to wring his neck_ , she thought after reaching the door. Alice nearly leaped out of her skin, though when she saw a familiar figure standing in the doorway. A sheepish smile was written across his face, and she couldn't hide the look of disbelief that followed when she realized this wasn't a dream.

"Jacob? What the hell are you doing here?" she asked after wrapping her arms around him in a hug. Jacob returned the gesture, still looking a bit embarrassed for having reached out so late. "And why are you here at one in the morning?"

"An invitation was sent to me in the mail, from a, uh… Doctor Reed Richards," he explained with a shrug once she let him inside and closed the door behind him. "He said he knew that she had a friend somewhere in California, it just took a while for the letter to get there."

"Well, remind me to thank Reed when the wedding's over," she laughed, realizing that Reed had really gone out of his way to invite her best friend. She couldn't imagine how much that must have cost. "But, if you're here, then that means you know about the fact that I'm… you know…"

She couldn't bring herself to finish that sentence, knowing that she had a lot of explaining to do. She hadn't been able to tell him anything simply because they were too busy. It was a lame excuse, and she suddenly wished that she could have told him sooner. He had always been there for her even before she met Reed and the rest of the team. Jacob was always the first to admit that if she could become a superhero, then she should jump at the opportunity.

"That you're a superhero, now?" Jacob grinned that goofy grin she always enjoyed seeing. "Believe it or not, news does travel fast. Mom and dad were pretty stoked when they realized you'd joined the team."

Alice found that hard to believe. Considering the fact that his parents had basically pushed her away after finding out what she could do, she was more than surprised with their acceptance. She gestured for him to sit down beside her on the bed, and he did just that.

"How much do you know?" she asked warily.

"Enough to know that you got away from your parents," he replied, keeping his voice steady once they got past formalities. "How'd you manage to pull that one off?"

She chewed the bottom of her lip and looked down at the floor, thinking back to the way Reed stood up to her father. It was a bold move on Reed's part. He managed to convince her father to sign the paper that would prove she no longer belonged to them. That her father no longer held any power over her.

"Reed helped me," she murmured.

"So, what you're saying is, he adopted you?" Jacob's eyes went wide with the idea of Mr. Fantastic adopting anyone, let alone someone like her.

Alice grimaced at the question, already trying to get that mental image out of her head. She knew that Reed wasn't above making that bold move. But if she was being honest with herself, she would have preferred having the freedom to run from city to city if it came to that.

"God, no. He forced my father to sign a document, one that would ensure that neither mention what he did to me," she explained, dropping her gaze when Jacob looked at her questioningly.

Of course, things could have gone very differently had her father had more time to think that through. She was just thankful he went along with it. It would have been too much of a hassle for him to fight Reed and the others in the court system if it ever came to that. Besides, Reed had physical proof that her father had been abusive to her, and she suspected that with the rest of the team backing him up, the court would have appealed in their favor.

"What about you and the rest of the… team?" he asked curiously.

"We get along… for the most part," she shrugged. Jacob frowned when he caught the hidden message behind that. "Johnny tried hitting on me."

"And, I'm guessing you punched him in the face?"

"No." Her immediate answer was enough for Jacob to look at her seriously. He considered her to be a good, well-mannered young woman. While she never tried hurting anyone, much less himself, she was fully capable of doing so. Something was bothering her, and he knew it. "I don't know what to make of him… one minute he's really sweet and even fun to talk to, and the next, he's drinking in whatever attention another woman gives him."

Jacob's brows furrowed as he thought of that. She had so much more to offer than just being the face of someone who loved the lime-light. There was a time when he would have considered asking her out, himself. That, however, was out of the question when he thought of the way his own parents had reacted to her powers.

"I may not know much about dating; I've never had a girlfriend before, but I do know that if I were him, I'd back off and let you make your own choice. Alice, you're beautiful, in every aspect. Someone will eventually meet you, and they'll offer that kind of affection."

She couldn't hide the smile that followed when she realized what he meant by that. Jacob Matthews was a lot of things, but subtlety wasn't one of them.

"Would you be opposed to sharing a bed?" she asked, feeling her cheeks burn with embarrassment at even making such a request.

Raising an eyebrow in surprise at the random question, Jacob's mind swam with ways of avoiding the obvious.

"You sure that's okay with… you know?" He couldn't help but ask.

By now, Alice was struggling not to laugh at his expression. Whether it was because of the late hour, or, that she was semi-exhausted from lack of sleep, she wouldn't know the reason behind that question. It gave her a good laugh, though. Watching his expression change multiple times told her that the question had been unexpected, and he was fumbling with a way to make things any less awkward than they already were.

"I'm joking," she rolled her eyes before tossing him a pillow, "You can crash here. I'll take the sofa."

"Al, you don't have to do that," he suddenly reached for her hand. "I'll take the sofa; I'm the house guest, remember?"

Alice merely blinked in surprise before giving a faint nod. She wouldn't have minded – often times, she found herself crashing on the sofa after a long day on the field. Once that was settled, and he left without another word, Alice finally threw herself onto the bed and buried her face into her pillow.

She couldn't help but wonder at Reed's ability to bring home a friend that she hadn't seen in over a year. She knew she would owe him for that. And, she planned on paying him back, somehow.


	15. Part Two, Chapter Five

**Part Two, Chapter Five**

Sure enough, sleep didn't come easily that night.

Alice splashed water across her face before looking at the mirror in front of her. After realizing that Reed had gone out of his way to let Jacob join them for such an important occasion, one he really didn't need to be part of, she hadn't been able to get much sleep. She fought back a yawn, studying the reflection staring back at her. She barely recognized the young woman standing in front of her staring back.

She had changed since Reed took her in. She knew her life changed for the better the moment she left her old family behind. Yet, Alice didn't know how much. Her face wasn't as pale as it had been. Her once slim build had begun to broaden slightly, with muscles along her arms that were more visible. Her hair now grew down beyond her shoulder, though it was still as curly and thick as it had been. The only difference was that she happened to take better care of herself now.

Once she had finished cleaning off the contents of ice covering the counter – she had to take her gloves off, so some of it froze upon contact – she finished getting ready to meet with Sue and Alicia. She and Alicia were going to be the bridesmaids, with Alicia being the maid of honor. Not that that had surprised Alice, given how close Sue was to the woman.

It wasn't until she reached the living room that Alice remembered Jacob was sleeping on the couch. She grimaced when she caught sight of him sitting up, taking everything in at once. Memories of their conversation from last night came rushing back. If she was being honest with herself, she would have rather avoided the awkwardness of the morning after all together.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked, wincing at how nervous she sounded.

It had been months since they had any contact with each other. Alice knew that in any given relationship, they should have at least called each other or sent letters. Instead, she was too busy focusing on her new life with the Fantastic Five, while Jacob himself focused on life in California. Not that she didn't blame him for the distractions. She could only imagine what it was like living in a completely different part of the country.

"Well, the sofa is surprisingly more comfortable than my bed at home, so yeah," he replied, looking as if he too would rather forget the awkward conversation they had the other night.

Not that Alice didn't blame him. She chewed the bottom of her lip, thinking back to when they had first considered dating in the first place. The only reason she'd pushed away that option was out of the fear that she might hurt him with her powers. There was always a fear of hurting the people she was close to; the Fantastic Five could and would defend themselves against her. Jacob was a whole different story.

"There's breakfast in the kitchen, along with coffee," she waved him off as she headed for the stairs, "I've got to meet with Sue and Alicia."

Jacob didn't bother arguing with that notion, perking up immediately upon the mention of coffee. Alice only shook her head in amusement as she left him, knowing that they could both use the caffeine on a day like today.

…

The rest of that morning had been a mad rush of everyone getting ready for the wedding. Alice had just finished getting her dress on after she watched Sue put her makeup on, while Alicia herself finished getting ready. While the rest of the wedding had been set up, the caterer was still busy preparing food for the after party, and guests were only just beginning to arrive.

Alice narrowed her eyes when she noticed the mass media crowding the entrance of the building. They'd been eating this story up since the night Reed asked Sue's hand in marriage. She had no doubt they would keep pursuing Reed and Sue's big day until months after it was over.

What annoyed her the most, though was seeing Johnny step out of a car with another woman wrapped around his arm. Both were soaking in the attention the media gave them, with the woman answering each question as if it was from a script.

Knowing Johnny and the women he dated, he probably prepared a full-on script for the woman to tell the media before they arrived. Alice almost smirked as she tried predicting herself what would be said – Johnny wasn't exactly difficult to read when it came to his emotions. That was one good thing about Johnny; he made it a little easier to guess what sort of trick he was about to pull before it could happen, giving Alice a chance to brace herself for whatever chaos would likely follow.

"This isn't how I imagined it," she heard Sue sigh, bringing her back to reality.

She glanced at the older woman warily, knowing that Sue had a lot of reasons for feeling that way. Guilt stabbed at her heart as she wondered if she was one of the reasons behind it. She may not have told Sue everything, but it was enough to leave the blond wondering how much more she was hiding.

"It never is," Alicia reminded her.

Alice held back a sigh and went back to fixing the mess that made up her hair. It would forever remain curly and susceptible to the humidity, often frizzing out to the point of making her look like a giant puffball. She often used her powers to keep her hair down; it was one of the few times they actually came in handy, if she could focus long enough on it.

"No, Alicia, it just doesn't feel right," Sue insisted, shaking her head at the thought.

"Sweetie," Alicia started, aware that this was more than just about wedding-day jitters, "I think even superheroes are allowed to have wedding-day jitters."

Moving so that she too was sitting on the bed, Alice had a feeling this had more to do with Sue's nerves than the media jumping everyone outside. She'd heard Sue mentioning on more than one occasion that she wanted to start a family with Reed. The problem was, their lives would never be normal. Any child brought into this kind of world would quickly learn that.

"It's more than that," she sighed, voicing what Alice suspected, "Is my life always going to be a circus? Do we really want to raise kids in all of this? Face it, we're not exactly normal."

"Ben and I aren't normal, but we don't let that get in the way of us being happy," Alicia pointed out, her head turned slightly in Sue's direction.

"You know, the main reason I've refused to agree to a date with Johnny was because I knew what I was getting myself into," Alice put in, earning a look of surprise from Sue. She forced herself not to flinch, knowing that she hadn't told Sue about Johnny's true intentions yet, "I know what he's like, and I know what the media is like around him."

"When did Johnny try asking you out?" Sue asked, narrowing her eyes slightly at the thought.

She of all people also knew what Johnny was like. Sue always looked out for Johnny though. As much as he drove her crazy with his antics, they were still siblings at heart. The last thing Alice wanted was to hurt him, or Sue in the process. She let out a quiet sigh and looked down at the floor.

"It was right after we took down Doom," she admitted. Sue just looked at her in disbelief, remembering how she had avoided Johnny at all costs during that party on the boat, "He was… Johnny… and, I wasn't ready for it. He isn't the type to stay committed to one woman."

Sue nodded in understanding, taking hold of her gloved hand and squeezing it gently. The last thing Alice wanted was to set herself up for future heartache. So, she built a wall around herself to keep Johnny from climbing over it, or pushing his way through. She knew the moment Johnny began to get to know the real her, he would see just how broken she truly was. She wasn't in any hurry for anyone to see her for what she really was, especially given the current situation they were in.

Besides, they were both stubborn at heart. She couldn't shake off the feeling that Johnny would keep pushing his way into her heart when she brushed off his attempts. And it terrified her to think that one day she would eventually give in.

"Alice, you have my full permission to kick Johnny's ass if he tries pulling another move on you," she said with a firm nod.

Alice couldn't hide the ghost of a smile that followed, eyeing Sue in surprise when she realized what that meant. Considering how protective Sue was over her family, it surprised her that the woman would feel so obliged to say something like that. Then again, maybe Sue of all people understood how Alice felt about letting someone take advantage of her.

"Thank you, Sue," she murmured, truly meaning it. Her life really had changed for the better thanks to the team, and she couldn't resist trying to at least make Sue feel better about the whole thing, "The real question is though, do you love Reed?"

Blinking in surprise at the random change in subject, Sue didn't even need to think of an answer; besides, this wasn't about her, and Sue needed to hear this herself, "More than I've ever loved anyone."

"Then, you have nothing to worry about," Alicia finished for Alice, already aware of where she was headed with that.

Sue pulled both Alice and Alicia into a warm embrace. At least they were able to help Sue calm her anxiety. Alice could only imagine just how unnerving it was to be put under that kind of pressure. Alicia was right about everyone getting nervous on their wedding day. Hopefully their talk helped soothe Sue before the big hour came along.

She tried pushing away her own uneasy thoughts, knowing that dwelling on the pressure of starting a family and moving on wouldn't help matters.

"Thank you," Sue whispered, standing up to wipe away the tears forming in her eyes. "Okay," she breathed in sharply, clearly trying to calm the nerves that threatened to overwhelm her as she stared at her reflection. "Oh, great."

"What?" Alicia asked, standing up from where she was sitting on the couch.

"I've got a zit."

Alice tried not to smirk at the most random comment. Zits were an everyday occurrence for anyone. She was lucky; her powers kept them from forming, and she didn't have to waste money on health-care products as a result.

"Can't you put makeup on it?" Alice suggested, knowing that for most people, that was the most obvious choice other than popping it.

"No, no," she brushed it off, "I've got it." Alice watched on, raising an eyebrow in amusement when Sue managed to use her invisibility to hide it. "Crisis averted. Now, all I have to do is concentrate on that area continuously for the next eight hours."

Both Alice and Alicia laughed at that.

…

Alicia was finished working on fixing Ben's tie as Johnny waltzed in the room. He'd been in a foul mood ever since this morning. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, he knew it was because of the newcomer currently being asked a dozen questions from Reed.

"Hey, Johnny," Alicia said, patting Ben on the shoulder.

Said young man stopped at the counter, shaking his head as he smirked at her ability to sense who was in the room. He laughed as Alicia grinned, with Ben struggling not to share the same gesture.

"Wow! Does that amaze anyone else? How did she know it was me? I didn't even say anything!"

His rant only left Alicia grinning wider, if that was possible. She then moved to pin the white rose on Ben's tux.

"Well, Johnny, to be honest, you kind of smell like ash," Alicia answered, earning a snicker from Ben.

Her playful response was enough to make even him smile. He had to admit, he liked Alicia, a lot. She was nice to him, despite the obvious way he teased Ben, constantly.

"She's not lying."

Alice blinked when Johnny eyed her in surprise. Her dress was similar to the one that Alicia was wearing. The lace hovered just over her ankles. Her heels were placed on the edge of the bed while she finished brushing her hair. Sue had helped put her hair in curls, the bangs brushing off gently against her cheeks. Her makeup matched Sue and Alicia's almost perfectly, and she wore the silver-blue gloves that Reed had designed for her. In all, her appearance had surprised Johnny, and he couldn't stop staring.

"Well, this just got awkward," Ben growled out, already feeling the uncomfortable tension as Alice narrowed her eyes and walked past Johnny.

She'd already made plans to meet with Sue and finish getting ready for the wedding ceremony. After finding out that he did try pulling a move on her, everyone had braced themselves for the awkward tension between them. Johnny, however, was oblivious to it. If anything, he rose to the challenge in winning her over, one way or another.

Alicia finished pinning the rose onto Ben's tux and started smoothing the fabric around it.

"Ow," Ben said, grinning like an idiot.

Alice couldn't help but grin as Alicia jumped and hit him lightly on the shoulder as he started laughing.

"Don't do that," she scolded. "Alright, you're perfect."

"You're perfect." Ben leaned his head down and kissed Alicia gently.

Johnny narrowed his eyes at the sight, glancing in the direction where Alice had disappeared. Seeing Ben and Alicia, together, made him realize just how happy they were. It was also just another reminder that Alice had pushed away any affection he offered.

"So, seems like you and Alicia are doing well, annoyingly so," he started once Alicia joined Alice and Sue.

Ben looked in Johnny's direction, before deciding to brush off the snide comment.

"Yeah, I'm a lucky guy," he replied.

"Yeah, you are," Johnny nodded in agreement, thinking back to his own predicament with Alice.

Had things gone his way, she would have been wrapped around his shoulder, hanging over his every word. Unfortunately, life never worked out the way he'd hoped. She left him with a nagging feeling in the back of his head, one that refused to go away until he had his prize.

"Just one thing," he added, and, Ben rolled his eyes when he caught the coy look in Johnny's eyes, "How do you guys um… well…"

He motioned with his hands in a gesture that left Ben burning with embarrassment and horror.

"That's not of your business!"

"Alright, relax," Johnny tried reasoning with him, the look of amusement written across his face never fading, "I'm just concerned…" He slowly started walking towards the exit, knowing what would come next, "I'd hate to wake up one morning and find out she was killed in a rock slide."

With that, he started running.

"I'll show you a rock slide!" Ben shouted after him.

…

The room was strangely quiet as Alicia was handed a pink bouquet. She heard the clink of a glass and knew immediately who it was.

"Johnny, you shouldn't tease him so much," she said, her eyes not focusing on anything in particular.

"It was a joke," Johnny sighed in exasperation.

He got enough from Sue and Alice. Sue, he could handle. Alice was a whole different story – she may not show it often, but she had a temper about her that terrified the crap out of him. Besides, he was still trying to get on her good side and convince her to date him.

"I don't know," Alicia began knowingly, hiding a smirk when Johnny eyed her curiously, "I think it bothers you to see him happy and in love. I think you're jealous."

"You think I'm jealous?" he asked incredulously.

Of all the things she could have accused him off, he was anything but jealous. Okay, maybe he was a little jealous. Maybe he did want to know what it was like, to have that kind of affection from someone who actually cared about him, and not just because of who he was. The fact that she had turned him down only left him wanting more. Worst still was the fact that she never fully trusted him. Alicia's hum only confirmed what he'd suspected.

"Have you seen the women I dated?" he scoffed, hoping she wouldn't see through his ruse.

"No," she answered, and Johnny's face fell when he realized too late what he said. She only laughed, though, "I have only seen one, though, that you seem to dance around. You like her, don't you?"

"I – How did – Is it that obvious?" he stammered, for once, at a loss for words as Alicia turned in his direction.

"Sweetie, I may not be able to see like others, but I can _sense_ what you're feeling," she replied without missing a beat. "Why not admit the truth?"

Johnny hesitated in answering. Of course, he'd tried. But, each time he tried talking to her, or even went to ask her out on a date, she pushed away any of his attempts. Some small part of him knew the truth, and maybe that was why he kept rebelling against everyone. He was ready to answer when Ben saved him from making a stupid comment.

"Ta-da!"

Sue walked in beside him. She was fully dressed in her gown now. The veil she'd chosen was pinned to her hair and trailed behind her. Alice had joined them moments later, and Johnny couldn't take his eyes off of her when he noticed the slim dress she wore. It took everything he had not to make a snide comment that would just make things worse. Instead, he focused his attention on Sue in an attempt to hide the fact that he was frustrated with himself.

"Hey, it's the bride of stretchy man!" he exclaimed with a broad grin written across his face.

"Don't start," Sue replied, though, even she was grinning from ear to ear as she reached him.

"You look amazing, Sue," he reassured her. Her eyes lit up at the comment, which was unusual itself, coming from him. Though, Johnny's thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of someone else. He narrowed his eyes at the sight of a young man reaching Alice, a huge grin written across his face. The moment they met was when Alice wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "Who's he?"

"Jacob Matthews," Sue informed him with a knowing look, "He's her best friend; Reed invited him." Sue paused and glanced at him thoughtfully when she noticed something was off. "You're not jealous, are you?"

Johnny nearly rolled his eyes at the coyness in her voice. Of course she would have gotten a kick out of seeing her brother of all people getting jealous over some kid. But seeing them together had only left another reminder that the kid had something he never would.

"No… of course not," he retorted, though he knew it was a poor attempt at hiding his jealousy.

He only watched the pair warily, suddenly aware that maybe Sue was more on point than he would ever admit out loud.

The kid whispered something, remaining close by Alice's side. She only laughed at whatever he said, and the two linked arms before walking out of the room. Johnny couldn't help but stare in their direction, feeling that familiar spark of jealousy surge through him at that moment. Worst still, it only reminded Johnny that Alicia and Sue had been right after all.


	16. Part Two, Chapter Six

**Part Two, Chapter Six**

Alice walked out alongside Jacob, holding his hand while trying not to blush furiously at the thoughts running through her. She never realized until that moment how much it meant to have a friend close by. And while there was a time when she would have considered Jacob as more than just a friend, she was still grateful that he had been there at all.

The rooftop where the ceremony itself was held was beautifully decorated. Bouquets of yellow and white roses decorated the large terrace. Vines curled around the small chapel. Each seat set was filled with a guest, including some rather famous faces. On the second level of the terrace, tables and chairs were set up for the dinner that would follow afterword's. The aisle they were walking down was lined with cream colored fabric, and more of the rose bouquets lined it as well to guide them along to the Justice of Peace where Reed now stood.

Nearby was a small orchestra playing some music while Alice was led down the aisle by Jacob.

Once they arrived, Alice took her place beside Jacob and smiled until she heard a beeping noise coming from Reed's pocket. He pulled out the device and looked at it warily.

"Reed, will you shut your phone off?" Ben asked, looking over Reed's shoulder as he started messing with it.

"Actually, it's a—" Alice didn't need to be told what it was.

She had already suspected that he was working on that machine that would figure out what was causing the anomalies. The orchestra started playing the Pachabel Cannon as the flower girl began walking down the aisle. Alice couldn't help but smile as the little girl, who happened to be Sue's niece, strode down and threw out petals across the aisle. Sue and Johnny soon followed after. And she looked beautiful.

Reed sighed, then chuckled when he caught sight of her. The smile on her face was enough to light up the entire audience. Alice couldn't help but grin at the sight as Ben wiped away a tear. Sue moved from Johnny and stepped up to join Reed under the chapel. Alice didn't miss the fact that Johnny was now staring at her warily. She tried to avoid his gaze as she looked at Reed and Sue.

"Dearly beloved," the Justice of Peace began, "we are gathered here today to—" He was cut off at that moment when a helicopter flew by and ruined the moment. Alice resisted the urge to roll her eyes as the pilot gave them their best wishes. "Where was I? Oh, dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this couple, Reed Richards and Sue Storm—" Ben pulled out a tissue and blew into it, rather loudly by the way, "—in the bond of holy—" Reed pulled out the beeping device from his pocket, "matri… mony."

Sue's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the device.

"I can't believe you actually brought that thing to our wedding!" she hissed under her breath.

"I know, but there's a good reason," Reed told her. "We have to get through this quickly."

He used his hand to make a gesture to prove his point. Alice resisted the urge to roll her eyes once again when she realized what that meant.

"Oh, that's romantic," Sue muttered crossly.

"S-Should I continue?" the Justice of Peace asked.

"Yes, please," Reed replied.

"There are many kinds of love—" He started speaking, but Reed decided that wasn't fast enough.

"Could you skip to the end, please?" he asked.

"Reed!" Sue nearly shouted, but she was forced to quietly exclaim.

The Justice looked at him in confusion before continuing.

"Excuse me?" Reed's P.D.A. beeped once again, and he pulled it out of his pocket.

His expression was grave as he read what was on the flickering screen. And all at once, chaos followed. Alice spun around and locked eyes with Jacob. By now he knew that she was part of the team. But he didn't know what risks it took to be part of the team. The wind had started picking up, causing her hair to fly over her face.

"It's too late," Reed muttered.

Alice looked up in horror as the helicopter began spinning out of control. She watched on in horror as people ran away from the area, chairs falling all over the place as the helicopter began falling towards them. Reed stretched out his arm and pulled a couple of people out of the way as one of the blades struck the roof. The tail end of the copter swung around, and its blades were spinning towards Alicia.

"Ben!" she yelled, able to hear the copter.

Alice watched on before wasting no time in rushing over to Alicia's side. She grabbed hold of Alicia before the blades could hit either of them, ignoring all thoughts that were screaming at her to get away. Relief swept through her when they managed to get out of the way, hiding between the chairs as the rest of the crowd panicked and ran in different directions.

"So, this is what life's like with you guys," Jacob muttered as he finally joined them.

He was holding up his hands in defense as a chair started flying towards them. Alice suddenly blasted it with her ice, shattering it into pieces. She couldn't help but wince as a piece of the plastic cut across her leg, leaving a clean cut in the process.

"Yeah, you get used to it after a while," she said before noticing something that whizzed in the sky above them.

"Johnny," Reed said, looking at the blond in question. Johnny brushed his hands over his suit.

"But this is Dolce," he complained.

He groaned before running towards the edge and jumping off the building. Alice watched on as his body engulfed in flames. The entire scene had changed from that of a romantic afternoon to one of complete and utter chaos. Alice held back a sigh as she stood up and brushed off dirt from her now ripped dress.

"Are you okay?" Alice blinked in surprise when she realized that Jacob was still staring at her. Ben had led Alicia inside, along with Reed and Sue. "Alice."

It took her a few moments to realize what he was staring at. She hadn't noticed the cut on her leg until now. With a groan, she stood up and limped over to where the others were waiting. The wound wasn't deep, and it wasn't the first time she would have gone through something like this. Besides, there were more important things to worry about at the moment.

"I'll live," she replied.

"Well, now I understand why you wanted me to stay away for so long," Jacob murmured, almost trying to make it sound like a joke.

Alice only rolled her eyes in response as she joined Reed and Sue. She knew this was his way of trying to cut through the already tense atmosphere. With the wedding ending in disaster, she could only imagine how Sue must have felt.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Sue complained as she sat down beside Reed. "Why didn't you tell me that you were working on this?"

 _This just got awkward_ , Alice thought as she watched them warily. She knew that Jacob shouldn't have gotten involved in all of this. But, she also knew he wouldn't have wanted things any different. He was aware of what he'd gotten himself into when agreeing to joining them that afternoon.

"You're hurt," Ben said in an accusing voice when he noticed her cut.

She tried not to smirk when she noticed that Jacob was gaping at Ben. Ben did have a way of intimidating just about everyone who got close enough. But underneath that rocky exterior, she saw someone with a big heart who just wanted to fit in.

"I'll be fine," she reassured him. "Sue… on the other hand…" Her voice dropped as she looked at the arguing couple. Reed looked flustered, and frustrated, and understandably so. She knew she was just pushing away Ben's attempt at making things better. But, she also knew that opening up him would only add to the laundry list of problems she had. "This is bigger than any other threat we've faced, isn't it?" Her voice had dropped to a whisper.

"Sounds like it," Ben replied. He sighed and looked warily at Jacob. "Sorry for scaring ya kid."

To Alice's surprise, Jacob actually laughed at that.

…

It was late by the time they had changed into their normal clothes. Reed had taken more than a few minutes to apologize to Sue. Her face was red, and not just from frustration. Alice almost wished she could make things right, but she knew she had no choice in the matter.

General Hagar had arrived a few minutes later when news about the attack had spread. Alice sat beside Jacob as he took a sip of his soda. She'd gotten her injury treated as soon as they returned to the Baxter Building. To say the wedding had crashed and burned was an understatement. And to make matters worse, Johnny hadn't returned yet.

"Did Johnny come back yet?" Sue had asked as if she read Alice's mind.

"No, not yet," Reed replied. "Are you two alright?" he asked, glancing at Jacob and Alice.

"Well, other than suffering a few minor scratches, I think I'll live," Alice replied before glancing at Jacob awkwardly. "Sorry you had to get involved in all of this," she added under her breath.

"You kidding?" he asked with a sheepish grin. "This has to be the most excitement I've had in years, and that's saying something."

Alice tried not to laugh at his expression. Despite the situation, Jacob still knew how to make a joke out of something serious. That was one of the many reasons he was still her best friend. It was just another reminder of why they needed to keep in touch with each other. She missed spending time with Jacob, and putting up with his antics.

Johnny chose that moment to walk in. Alice raised an eyebrow in alarm when he looked exhausted and drained. He'd been gone for hours, and she couldn't help but wonder if the creature they'd spotted had something to do with that.

"Johnny, we were so worried!" Sue exclaimed when she realized he had joined them.

"I'm alright," Johnny sighed, his voice dull and wary.

"Need something to drink?" Jacob asked with a sheepish look. "Looks like you've been through hell and back."

"I'm fine, just tired," Johnny reassured him.

Alice didn't miss the glare he was giving Jacob. She exchanged a look with Jacob, suddenly aware that the situation couldn't have gotten more awkward than at that moment. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought Johnny was actually jealous of Jacob. Which would have made things hilarious if it wasn't for the situation at hand.

"Did you find out what it was?" asked Hagar as he watched the team gather.

Jacob just sat there awkwardly with Alicia while Johnny tried describing what he had seen during the fight. Civilians weren't normally allowed at meetings involving the military. Alice chewed the bottom of her lip as she wondered what sort of clearances Reed had to make for them to be there.

"It looked like a man, but completely covered in silver, and it was flying this, like-like a surfboard type thing. I know that sounds crazy," Johnny explained, gesturing with his hands as he looked around at all of them.

 _A silver figure with a surfboard_ , Alice thought of what such an image would look like. Her eyes widened as an image of a human-like figure appeared before her. Whatever it was, this alien-like creature needed to be stopped before it caused more chaos.

"Oh, no, not at all. So, did you follow the shiny man to Lollipop Land or Rainbow Junction?" Ben teased as Sue passed him a glass of water.

"Look, I know what I saw," Johnny said defensively.

"I believe you," Alice murmured. Everyone looked at her in surprise, and she shrugged in response. "For one thing, Johnny rarely lies, and for another, we've faced stranger things… why can't alien-like creatures exist?"

"Wow, that's actually the nicest thing you've ever said to me," Johnny said, sounding as if he was actually touched by her statement.

"Don't get used to it," she snapped, her voice becoming stiff and bitter once more.

"Thank you," Reed said before looking at Johnny. "It's alright, Johnny. Whatever this thing's physical appearance is, it has the ability to convert matter and energy."

"Well, my mind is officially blown," Jacob muttered. Alice tried not to laugh at that.

Jacob wasn't the smartest guy in the world, in fact, he'd wanted to go to college for acting. She often wondered if he perused his career dreams.

"Evidently, this… this Silver Surfer didn't want to be detected. It destroyed the sensor," Reed explained after rolling his eyes.

"It knew it was being monitored?" Sue asked in surprise.

"And traced it back here," Alice guessed after reading the files that Reed had pulled up. "Looks like we're dealing with something that's highly resourceful."

The general nodded in agreement. Johnny groaned and stood up, Sue looking at him concern.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah… I just – I got to walk this off," he told her, leaving the room and Sue following.

"We have to find a way to destroy this thing before it decides to attack again. Richards, find a way to track it again," Hagar said before leaving the room along with his staff.

Reed exhaled deeply and rubbed the back of his head with his hand. Alice knew that look. He was well aware of the dangers this Silver Surfer now posed. Which meant that things were only going to get worse from this moment on.

"I think I may have overstayed my welcome," Jacob said under his breath.

Alice bit the bottom of her lip when she realized that he was probably right. Considering what had happened, she didn't blame him for wanting to leave. This was beyond anything he'd ever signed up for. Besides, getting a civilian involved was out of the question as far as the Silver Surfer was concerned.

"There's a room you can stay in," she explained. "Just let me know if you need anything." Jacob nodded and gave her hand a small squeeze before leaving. Alice turned her attention back to Reed. "There's something more to this Silver Surfer than you're letting on," she added in an accusing tone.

He looked at her in surprise before sitting down beside her. Luckily, Ben had left them to join Alicia in their room while Sue was still with Johnny.

"The readings from the Silver Surfer were similar to the readings from your powers, and the storm that gave us our powers," Reed explained after a moment of silence followed. "It's possible there might be a connection."

Alice gaped at him in disbelief. What the heck was that supposed to mean? She wasn't given the chance to ask when Sue joined them seconds later. She would have given anything to figure out what that meant, especially since he made it sound as if she and the Surfer came from the same place. Reed's attention was drawn immediately to Sue as she stood in front of them, arms folded as she looked at Reed seriously.

"Look, Sue, I'm so sorry. The only reason I didn't tell you about it is because I didn't want you to worry," Reed apologized to her.

She tried not to wince at the sorry excuse for an apology. But Sue seemed to accept it. Her expression was impossible to read when Alice caught her looking at Reed warily. As much as Sue probably wanted to argue with him for building the sensor, she couldn't bring herself to.

"I'm not mad that you built the sensor," Sue replied. "It was the right thing to do."

"Oh, great," Reed said, sounding relieved as he walked away, only to have his face slammed into a forcefield.

Alice winced at that; Sue was clearly not over what had happened.

"I wasn't finished," Sue continued, her voice like ice.

Alice was thankful she wasn't in Reed's position right now. Sue's wrath was one she never wanted to face, especially when she had the ability to create forcefields like those.

"Okay, sorry. Please continue," Reed said.

"See, this proves exactly what I've been saying all along," Sue explained as she walked over to him.

"Could you drop the forcefield, please?" Reed suddenly asked in a strained voice.

"We can't even – oh, sorry." Sue realized what Reed had asked and dropped her forcefield. "We can't even have a wedding without it turning into World War III," she protested.

"I know, but once we get married, everything will go back to normal," Reed tried reassuring her.

That was something Alice highly doubted. Life would never go back to normal so long as they continued being superheroes.

"We will never have normal lives as long as we do what we do," Sue snapped. "Alice takes it pretty well, but she basically grew up with this kind of life." Alice bit the bottom of her lip, wanting to intervene and say that she actually tried running from this kind of life. They may not have been her actual parents, but Sue acted like a protective mother around her. Instead of arguing, she kept her mouth shut during their argument. "But, how could we possibly raise a family like this?"

An awkward silence followed soon after. Sue looked deflated when Reed had nothing to say. His eyes fell on Alice as if begging her for help. She only shrugged, willing herself to stay out of this argument. The last thing she wanted was to piss off Sue anymore than she already was.

"I'm going to – I'm going to check on Johnny," Sue murmured before walking away.

"She's right, you know," Alice finally piped up. She had stayed quiet for the most part, but now it was time to speak her mind. Reed gave Alice a look of surprise as she studied him warily. "What happens if you bring up a child in this world? They'll never know what it's like to live a normal life."

 _A life that I was deprived of_ , she added silently. Because of her powers she had always been treated like a freak of nature. Her own parents abandoned her because they didn't know what to do with her. But her life had changed for the better when the team found her and taken her in. She could never thank them enough for what they had done, for her.

"I'll think of something," Reed reassured her.

Doubt clouded her thoughts as he left her alone. She knew that something would go wrong eventually. That the perfect family she had always dreamed of was slowly unraveling. And she could do nothing to stop it.


	17. Part Two, Chapter Seven

**Part Two, Chapter Seven**

 _As the years went on, Alice's powers became more and more unstable, and as a result, they were unpredictable. She was thirteen at the time when she'd accidentally hurt Lana while practicing. The room had been strangely peaceful as she tried controlling her powers by spreading a blanket of snow across the floor. She managed to coat the wall in a thin layer of ice that didn't threaten to compromise the structure of the house. After practicing for what felt like hours, it felt as if she finally had a knack for them._

 _Things had changed however, when Lana suddenly arrived. Alice was able to build things to a small extent without losing control of her powers. She managed to build small mounds of snow and use them to create snowballs, throwing them at random things. The minute Lana showed up was when she started antagonizing Alice._

 _"Wow, you really are a freak!" the younger girl squealed in delight after seeing the whole room covered in snow and ice. "Mommy and daddy were right about you!"_

Don't let her get to you _, a voice kept pleading to her silently. She knew that if she lost control, now, it would end in disaster. She'd never hurt anyone up until now with her powers. But, there was always a small fear that she had the capability of doing just that._

 _She could already feel the cool touch of ice spreading across her fingertips as she pulled off her gloves. The gloves had always been used as means of concealing her powers and icy cold touch. The only time she took them off was when she needed a shower, or when she knew she wasn't anywhere near an unsuspecting victim. This time, however, she was able to see the ice forming at the tips of her fingers, and she frowned when she realized icy spears beginning to grow._

 _Lana decided to make things worse by skipping around and humming to herself, oblivious to the growing threat. A shiver of rage burned within Alice as she watched her younger sister. She'd never felt jealous of Lana before. Her younger sister always seemed to garner the attention that she was deprived of, soaking it all in whenever she accomplished something. What annoyed Alice more than anything though was the fact that Lana seemed to pick up on what her father said about her._

 _Her younger sister had this nasty habit of repeating whatever her father said around them. Alice had quickly learned that the best thing to do was try and ignore Lana. There were times when that had become impossible. Lana always seemed to find some way of getting under her skin. The worst part was that her parents never seemed to find any fault in Lana's behavior. And her sister had also learned to only repeat such words when they weren't around._

 _Panic swept through Alice when she realized too late what was happening. The icicle spear was only getting bigger, and Lana had taken a step right in front of her. Her heart nearly skipped a beat when the spear suddenly flew in Lana's direction without warning. Time suddenly felt as if it slowed down as the spear whipped past Lana, cutting just inches above her eye and hitting the wall behind her. Alice bit back a cry of shock at the sudden attack, holding a hand against her mouth when Lana collapsed on the floor._

 _"No!" she cried out, reaching Lana's fallen body in an instant._

 _Her heart sank even further when she saw the blood staining the snow red. It only took seconds for their parents to figure out that something was wrong. Alice peered over her shoulder fearfully when she saw her father's face, and the horror written across her mother's face._

 _"Lana," mother whispered as she reached Lana's side, checking for a pulse._

 _Alice swallowed hard when her father reached her, the look of shock quickly replaced with one of anger. She knew this wasn't going to end well. She knew her father wouldn't forgive her for what had happened, and that she would pay for her mistake._

…

Alice spent the rest of the day with Jacob. After that chaotic scene, she doubted that he would be allowed anywhere near her, or the team again. His parents had always been overprotective towards him. Though, Alice didn't blame them for fearing the worst outcome when it came to the team. She shouldn't have let him anywhere near that chaos. Not when he could have been killed in the crossfire. The fact that he had been caught in the crossfire was enough of a reminder of why his parents never trusted her, especially after finding out about her powers.

Reed had agreed to pay for half of his ticket to get back home. Once again, his generosity took Alice by surprise. She knew that money was tight to begin with, but Reed went out of his way to make her life a little more tolerable. She always found a way of paying him back; whether it was with chores around the apartment, or just helping out with whatever projects needed to get finished, she wanted to make herself useful in some way.

"Just like old times, huh?" Jacob tried joking after receiving a call from his parents, demanding that he get back as soon as a flight was available.

She only shook her head at the thought. Things couldn't have gone any worse. If anything happened to her best friend, she would have never forgiven herself. She'd already caused enough damage as it was. She knew better than to think that their lives could finally start looking up. He had bigger and better things to look forward to rather than worry about her all the time. Eventually, they would all move on in life, and maybe it was better that way.

"Your parents are right to worry about you," she murmured thoughtfully.

Jacob threw her a look that said it all: He didn't care what they said about her. That was one of the many things she admired about Jacob. He never once cared if she had powers or not. He was just a good friend, and he was also someone she knew she could look to for comfort. He wrapped an arm around her and gave her a much needed hug.

"Hey, I'm glad that Reed was willing to go out of his way and invite me," he said reassuringly, "After all, it gave me a chance to see you again. Plus, I finally got to see you in action. You never show off your powers in public."

"There's a reason for that, Matthews," she reminded him with a playful nudge.

It wasn't long before they were both laughing. Alice couldn't help but feel a rush of happiness swell within her when she was around Jacob. They'd already reached the lab where Reed had been hard at work. Since Johnny had been giving them 'the look', as Jacob now dubbed it, and the ruined wedding ceremony, a little cheerfulness felt good. The gloomy atmosphere hadn't helped matters, especially when she knew the reason behind it.

She was ready to say something else when something outside caught her attention. Alice peered over Jacob's shoulder, eyes widening in alarm when she noticed that something happened to be Sue. Flying. Susan Storm, flying, and engulfed in flames. To make matters worse, she wasn't wearing any clothing.

The sight was enough for Alice to wonder if she was hallucinating, when Reed caught what was happening, too. She had to nudge Jacob hard in the ribs to keep him from laughing at the sight as they heard Sue's frantic screams trying to get Reed's attention.

"You're on fire!" Reed shouted one of the most obvious exclamations he could.

The look on Sue's face was enough to leave Jacob tilting his head to one side in amusement, while Alice just shook her head in disbelief. She knew this wasn't going to end well. Sue was already having a bad enough day without that chaotic scene making it worse.

 _Men can be so dense_ , she thought, watching as Reed and Sue's panicking only got worse.

"Jacob, you might want to sit this one out," she warned him after reaching Reed.

Jacob didn't need to be told twice – he wanted no part in whatever was going on at the moment. It was embarrassing enough to have seen any of it in the first place. The worst part was, the media would more than likely make a wild spin on what just happened. She hated to think of what sort of wild story they would develop this time.

"Pull me in! Help!" Sue shouted as she struggled to fly into the window.

"Stay here," Reed ordered before running out of the building.

Alice only watched on helplessly, not sure what to do in a situation like this. By now Jacob couldn't hold back his laughter as he was struggling to breathe.

"Now _that's_ something you don't see everyday," he gasped after finally catching his breath.

Rolling her eyes in annoyance, Alice did the only thing she could think of, and punched him in the arm. She'd gone through her own fair share of trauma to know this wasn't going to sit well with Sue. Not when she had clearly swapped powers with Johnny, and suffered the consequences.

…

It wasn't long before they had all returned to the lab. Alice sat perched on a stool while she listened to Reed explain the situation regarding Sue and Johnny. Apparently, Sue was beyond pissed, and understandably so. She hadn't expected to 'swap' powers with Johnny. The whole thing just seemed far-fetched. Reed had taken a sample of Johnny and Sue's blood to study it and find an explanation behind their sudden power 'swap'.

"Where's your boyfriend?" Johnny asked in an accusing tone when he arrived.

Alice only rolled her eyes in response. She hadn't missed the look Ben and Reed gave them, and the sudden tension that followed. Considering the fact that Johnny was jealous at all, Alice should have felt a small spark of satisfaction with that. Yet, she was more annoyed than anything else that he would make such a suggestion.

"He had to go home after his parents found out about the 'Silver Surfer'," she explained with a shrug. She didn't bother denying the fact that Jacob wasn't her boyfriend. Whatever pissed off Johnny only seemed to make her day. "So, what happened that made you and Sue 'swap' powers?" she asked.

It wasn't entirely true. Jacob was actually packing up and getting ready to leave, which meant he'd been spending most of the day in the room avoiding the rest of the team for good measure. More importantly, he'd been avoiding Johnny in the hopes of not getting questioned about his reasons for staying as long as he had. The only reason he had stayed as long as he did was because the plane had been delayed due to the Surfer incident. Alice knew that his parents would be frustrated with the fact that his flight was delayed, but at least Reed was generous enough to give him a place to stay until then.

"I don't know," Johnny sighed, clearly frustrated with her nonchalant attitude and the situation at hand. He would never openly admit that seeing her with Jacob had made him jealous. Not by a long-shot. "All Sue did was touch my shoulder and she burst into flames. Then I became invisible when she screamed for help."

"Any idea what we're dealing with?" she asked Reed.

"I wish I knew," Reed replied. "Everything the team has gone through since we were exposed to the cloud has been normal. I have been able to understand why it happened. This new development, I don't. All of Sue's results are normal, but Johnny's…" Reed stopped himself short and looked at Johnny seriously.

Alice knew that because her powers had been received through… unconventional means, he left her out. She understood why, though. This was a serious matter, and one that needed to be dealt with sooner rather than later. Especially when that matter revolved around Johnny. He was already reckless enough without needing to worry about swapping his powers with someone. She grimaced as she imagined what sort of chaos would follow if he swapped his power with some random civilian.

"Johnny's are what?" Johnny demanded.

"Your encounter with the Silver Surfer has effected your molecules. They're… in a constant state of flux," Reed explained.

Johnny exhaled deeply at that.

Alice frowned in confusion as she considered what that meant. Their cells had been altered to begin with because of the storm. At least, that was what Reed had tried explaining when their powers first developed. She was more confused with the fact that Johnny's cells had changed because of the Surfer, telling her that he had some kind of reaction to whatever had given them their powers in the first place.

"And is that bad?" he asked, his voice wary as he forced a smile on his face.

"Well, it caused you to temporarily switch powers with Sue. Ideally, I'd like to run more tests," Reed told him before looking at the paperwork scattered across his desk.

"Would you like a volunteer?" Ben asked eagerly.

Everyone started protesting at that.

"We don't know the extent of his condition yet," Sue pointed out, though Ben already had one thought in mind.

Alice could see the eagerness in his eyes as he walked over to Johnny.

"It could be progressive, it could be degenerative," Reed added.

 _Just do it already_ , Alice silently willed Ben, wanting to see what would happen if he swapped powers with Johnny. Considering everything Johnny had put them both through, this was what he deserved. And seeing the look of panic written across Johnny's face made it worth the risk.

"It could be fun," Ben shouted before touching Johnny's shoulder.

"No, Ben!" Sue protested, but it was too late.

Flames suddenly erupted around Ben, and his appearance returned to what he was before turning into the Thing. Alice's eyes widened in amazement at the sight. And judging from Ben's expression when he looked at his reflection, he was just as amazed.

"Whoa! Hey! Hey, it's me, I'm back!"

The only difference in Ben was the fact that his shirt was now on fire, smoke still fuming. Alice smothered a fit of laughter as she blew out the last of the flames with some ice. Ben just grinned back like this was the best thing in the world.

By the time Alice looked at Johnny, she couldn't fight back the fit of laughter that followed. Johnny followed her gaze with a glare until he noticed his reflection for the first time. What he saw next made him jump in shock.

"Oh my God! Come on, we just said this was serious!" he groaned.

"Oh, yeah," Ben said, struggling not to laugh at the sight.

Johnny looked like a skinnier version of Ben, orange rocks covering his entire body. What topped off the look though was his hair, which now made him look even more ridiculous than Alice thought possible.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me!" Johnny shouted.

He glared at his reflection after seeing the looks written across everyone's faces. All the while Ben and Alice were laughing. Ben snapped his fingers, and seconds later, a flame appeared. His eyes widened in fascination as he snapped them over and over again.

"Hey, not bad," he said, almost to himself.

Reed eyed Ben and Johnny in fascination.

"Incredible."

"Reed, you better find a way to fix this," Johnny said in an accusing tone.

"Why? I think it's a better look," Alice chimed in.

Her comment just earned a glare from Johnny while Reed and Ben smirked at her. Ben suddenly threw a fireball at Johnny, causing everyone to jump in surprise.

"Ben, stop it!" Sue shouted.

Alice resisted the urge to roll her eyes as Ben started laughing at Johnny's ordeal again. She understood what it was like to put someone's life in danger. Especially when it came to losing control over her powers.

"Well, I'm starting to see why Johnny like this so much," Ben said before starting to protest as Johnny slapped him over the shoulder with his hand.

In a flash of light, Johnny appeared normal again while Ben changed back to what Alice was used to seeing.

"That's not funny! What am I supposed to do in the meantime?" Johnny demanded.

"Well, you could stop being an ass and actually do something useful for a change," Alice muttered under her breath.

The look Johnny threw her was one she had seen many times from her father. She shivered at the sight and moved closer to Reed. Memories of her family still haunted her. Luckily, Reed seemed to sense her sudden unease and changed the subject.

"Just try to keep your distance from us," he told Johnny.

…

"I'm beginning to see why you find life here so entertaining," Jacob remarked with a sheepish smirk. Alice threw him a look that said it all. She'd just finished cleaning the last of her room and threw herself onto the bed, letting out a tired sigh. "I'm just saying, I don't blame you for wanting to stay."

The following morning had proven less adventurous for the team. Alice was more than relieved with that notion, because it gave her time to think of the situation at hand. She understood what facing something like the Silver Surfer would mean. The dangers were real, and the fact that the Surfer had already caused so much trouble only added to her worries. With Jacob's flight leaving in less than two hours, he needed to go now before he missed the plane.

"Not like I have anywhere else to go," she muttered, glancing over her shoulder.

The rest of the team had split off to run their own errands. Alice knew that Sue would be recovering from the incident, and she hadn't left the room since then. Not that Alice couldn't blame her. After the way the media hyped everything up, she was never going to live this one down.

"Hey, I didn't mean it like that," he frowned after realizing he'd hit a sore spot.

Alice only shook her head knowingly, "It's okay," she reassured him.

"No, it's not," he sighed, running his hand through his hair in frustration, "Al, you've put up with too much crap over the years. You're my best friend, and nothing's ever gonna change that. I just want you to be happy for a change."

She couldn't hide the small smile that followed. For some reason, she wasn't angry with him like she expected. Instead, she found herself feeling more at peace than she had in years.

"Jacob, I am happy… happier than I've been for years," she admitted. "Sure, life with the team might not be easy, but at least I have a roof over my head. And, a family."

For once, Jacob didn't know what to say when he noticed that something was different about her. She didn't seem as tense as she had been when he last saw her. Not only that, but something had changed with her emotionally. She was _smiling_ more often than not.

"You know, I'm beginning to think this team might've been the best thing that ever happened to you," he said, taking her gloved hand and squeezing it gently.

"You might just be right about that, Matthews," she smirked in response, returning the gesture. "Thank you again, for sticking around as long as you have."

The family she had always dreamed of may have been unraveling, but Alice realized that she had the potential to start her life anew. She knew now that she could survive on her own, with or without the team. If it ever came down to that, she would make such a choice without hesitation.


	18. Part Two, Chapter Eight

**Part Two, Chapter Eight**

All five of them stood in the lab as Reed accessed the star charts. Jacob had since then returned to California after receiving numerous calls from his parents. He'd promised Alice that he would keep in touch with her as often as he could, even if it meant going behind their backs. While they would never fully accept the fact that she had powers, his determination to maintain contact was something she would always appreciate.

"I've been cross-referencing the Surfer's radiation through every astronomical database… Altair 7, Rigel 3, Vega 6," Reed explained.

Alice eyed each image warily, eyes widening when she realized that they were what was left of now dead planets. A shiver of dread swept through her as she wondered whether or not the same thing would happen to Earth. She could only imagine what sort of terror any inhabitants of those planets must have felt before they were destroyed.

"And he's been to all of these planets?" Ben asked.

"And now they're lifeless, barren, some even shattered. Everywhere the Surfer goes, eight days later, this happens," Reed told them, his voice grim.

"Well, that explains why he's here," Alice murmured, her voice thoughtful as she studied the images. "But the real question is, is there a way to stop him without… whatever happened to Johnny happening to the rest of us?"

The subject of Johnny's fight with the Surfer was still sour, and understandably so. Alice knew full-well that Johnny was determined to find some way of getting revenge on the Surfer for what happened. She just hoped he wouldn't let that revenge consume him. They all needed to work together, now more than ever.

"Yep, I think we're in trouble," Johnny added.

"How do we even find the guy?" Ben asked.

"What about the craters?" Sue suddenly asked.

Alice followed her gaze, then she nodded in understanding. These craters were appearing as some sort of frequency, almost like the Surfer had placed them there on purpose.

"They're appearing in a numerical sequence," Reed said, voicing Alice's thoughts. "The last crater was formed in Greenland. So, the next sequence should be latitude 51 degrees, 30 minutes north; longitude zero degrees, seven minutes west."

"London… as in London, England," Alice stated matter-of-fact.

All of those people were about to get a major wake-up call, unless the team was there to help them.

"How did you know it was London?" Ben asked, looking at Alice in surprise.

"Hey, when you're on the run, it's good to know your geography," she replied with a shrug. "Sometimes my GPS doesn't always work."

At least it was the truth. She'd quickly learned that technology would be her best friend while out on her own. She used it to her full advantage when she was running from her father, or simply struggling to survive.

Though, her statement earned a grin from Johnny, which surprised her. She hadn't seen him smile in a long time. Though, given the circumstances, she knew why. Reed suddenly started typing in a phone number as Ben looked at Alice impressively.

"Reed, what are you doing?" Sue asked.

"Calling General Hagar," Reed explained. "He wanted to know when the Surfer struck. Pack your suitcases everyone, I think we're going to London."

…

Alice had only seen pictures and read books about London. Her family had spent a few weeks there and left her at home. They said she didn't belong in a city like that, especially with her powers only just developing. She hadn't known at the time just how abusive her parents really were. But being here now only made her thankful she hadn't gone with them. Because now she was here to make a difference, and hopefully put an end to the Surfer's attacks.

They'd reached the London Eye (a giant Ferris wheel, much to her surprise) and started setting up when a crowd of people started gathering. The London Eye was just another popular tourist destination, much like the rest of the city. She knew the chances of getting them caught in the crossfire were higher than they should be. Alice eyed them all warily; she was dressed in her suit, and stood out like a sore thumb in a crowd like this.

"When he surfaces, you've got to move the fight away from the crowd," Reed told everyone.

"No, he's too fast to be contained. When I see Silver, I'm hitting him," Johnny said, contradicting Reed's orders.

"If I freeze him, then maybe that will slow him down," Alice put in helpfully.

"Wait, you can't do that. We've got to stick to the plan and work as a team. Alice, if worse comes to worse, you can freeze the machinery if it doesn't work," Reed snapped.

"I'll do what I can," she replied. "Just watch where you're aiming those fireballs, Torch. I really don't want to turn into a puddle like last time. We're on a team now, start acting like it."

She brushed aside her bangs as Johnny eyed her with a smirk. The last time they'd worked together had ended purely in disaster, on Johnny's part. She could still remember the pain that spread through her when he nearly torched her while trying to save a civilian who was trapped in a pile of debris.

"Oh, so we're a team now? That's news to me," Johnny said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"What are you talking about?" Reed asked.

"You know what I'm talking about," Johnny replied cryptically.

Alice crossed her arms as she waited for Johnny to tell everyone Reed's big plans with Sue. She hadn't told anyone about what she would do if the team did split up. At least not yet. If the team did decide to split up, like she expected, she planned on changing her identity and skipping town. It wasn't as if she had any ties to the city, anyways. The only thing keeping her there was the team, and Reed's offer at a place to call home.

After hearing Sue and Reed discuss their future plans together, Alice knew that she wouldn't likely stick around much longer. After all, Reed was the one who managed to get her out of a bad situation revolving around her abusive father. Once she was kicked out and cut off all ties with the team, Alice knew in the back of her mind that her father would return, and make life ten times worse for her. The thought was enough to send a shudder through her.

 _It isn't as if I'd belong anywhere else_ , she thought bitterly.

"Look, we were gonna tell you—" Reed started, catching on to what Johnny had said.

"When were you gonna tell us? When you moved all our stuff out of the Baxter Building?" Johnny demanded.

"Johnny, this really isn't a good time," Sue tried calming Johnny down.

"Kid's gotta point, Reed. You should've told us. What were you planning on doing with Alice if you decided to move out?"

Ben's question sent a shiver of unease through Alice. She looked down at the ground and tried to concentrate on the crowd surrounding them. She knew she wouldn't have been welcomed, anywhere else. As much as she hated to admit it, he had a point. It wasn't as if she would belong, anywhere. She really did have no place in the world, whether she wanted to admit it out loud or not. Though, she knew she could easily take care of herself, if worse came to worse. She'd survived on her own for as long as she had before meeting the team.

"All right, all right!" Reed suddenly snapped, clearly wanting to drop the subject at hand. "That's enough, we'll talk about this later."

"What is wrong with you people?" General Hagar shouted, losing his patience.

Alice hadn't missed the fact that the air was already getting colder with each passing second. The tension from earlier was beginning to get to her. Her eyes widened when she realized that she was beginning to lose control. The sudden, overwhelming sense of fear that she would lose control suddenly came rushing back. As far as she was concerned, Sue was the only one who knew of that fear. She desperately tried pushing the thoughts aside, knowing that this was the last place she should be losing control.

"What's that?" she asked.

Her voice was barely a whisper as she tried to will herself into control again. Her mind was churning with anxiety as she leaned forward and looked down into the river.

The middle of the Thames River looked as if it was going down a drain. Alice held her breath and returned to her seat when she realized too late what was happening. She glanced at Reed warily as he realized as well what was happening.

"Freeze the machinery," Reed ordered.

Alice didn't need to be told twice what to do. She gave the others one last look as the helicopter landed nearby. Without a second thought, she ran towards the Ferris wheel and started climbing from cable car to cable car. It was a good thing she had started working out. The crowds inside the cars watched on in amazement as she managed to reach the top with ease.

Unfortunately, she didn't have time to turn off the device in question. She looked down in horror as one of the cables snapped, causing the Ferris wheel to shudder and groan. The ground had begun shaking, and another cable snapped shortly after.

She clung on to the side for dear life as Ben suddenly reached forward and tried to hold down the wheel. Alice glanced at the windows and realized that the people inside were screaming in terror, and understandably so. She thought fast and suddenly created a slide of ice for the people to safely get down on while making her way to the top.

Finally, she reached the top cable car. Once up top she placed her hand on the machine in question and concentrated on freezing it. It didn't take long for the machine to stop working entirely, much to her relief. She stepped back just in time to see the Surfer fly out from the river.

She couldn't move as the Surfer was only inches away from her. Cold silence gripped Alice, and she was sure that everyone else watched breathlessly as they waited to see what either of them would do. But what happened next only made things worse for them both.

A fireball was suddenly thrown towards them. Alice held back a scream of shock and terror as she was thrown off balance. It had taken her a few seconds to remember that she couldn't fly. She clung on to the rail for dear life, and she suddenly wondered if this would be her last fight.

"No, Johnny!" Reed shouted as Johnny flew towards him. Reed instantly released his grip on the wheel, and Johnny was flying on the ground seconds later. The wheel suddenly pitched forward, and Alice felt her hands glued to the metal as she squeezed her eyes shut. "Ben, lift it higher!" She heard Reed shout.

Alice found herself unable to move as she watched everything move in slow motion. The wheel had started moving back and forth, but her hands were trembling with terror as she finally let go of the pole she was holding. That was the moment her legs decided to grow weak.

Suddenly, the cold air had become warm and welcoming again. Alice opened her eyes to find herself in Reed's arms as he flew down to join the rest of the team. Johnny was limping towards them as Reed gently put her down and slapped his hand over Johnny's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Reed asked as he made sure she had no vital injuries. Alice only nodded in response, still finding herself too shocked to speak. Reed let out a sigh of relief before turning his attention to Sue. She nearly fell over until Reed caught her. Johnny was ready to approach when Reed stopped him with a glare. "Stay back, before you get someone killed," he ordered.

Alice ignored Johnny's deflated look and stared at the Thames River in utter horror. All of the water had disappeared into a gaping hole. Boats were scattered where they once floated. People were leaning over the rails trying to figure out what just happened.

 _This just went from bad to worse_ , Alice realized, her heart beating rapidly as she noticed Hagar glaring at them through hate-filled eyes.

…

The flight back to the United States had been long and awkwardly silent. Luckily, Alice's legs had stopped shaking by the time they reached land. They had stopped at a base and were now sitting around a table while General Hagar paced angrily in front of them. Frankie was with him, much to Alice's surprise.

"What was that?" Hagar demanded, spinning around to glare at them.

"We'll make adjustments," Reed replied. "Next time, we'll be ready."

"Next time? There's no next time. You can't handle this alone. That's why I brought in some help," Hagar told them.

"Excuse me? Help?" Alice asked with a raised eyebrow. "I don't think the military is qualified to handle threats like this."

Hagar just scoffed while Reed nodded in agreement.

"General, Alice is right," Reed snapped. "You bring in more weaponry and more soldiers, you're gonna put innocent people in danger."

"No more than you already have," an all too familiar voice sounded.

Alice's eyes widened in shock when she saw none-other-than Doom walking into the room. How the hell was he alive? He couldn't have survived that battle against them, especially when Johnny went supernova.

"What's the matter? Afraid of ghosts?" Doom asked, laughing.

Ben suddenly let out a roar and lunged forward to throw Doom into a nearby wall.

"Look out!" Sue shouted.

"Don't move," Hagar ordered as the soldiers started aiming their guns.

"Since you're a ghost, you won't mind if I break your little neck," Ben said in a scathing tone.

Doom had almost killed Ben when he tried turning back into a human. But his plan had ended in failure. Alice couldn't forgive Doom for all that he did to these people, or to anyone else who'd suffered under his wrath.

"Let him go," Hagar ordered.

"Don't you know who this is?" Johnny demanded.

"He's Victor Von Doom," Hagar explained. "He's here under my orders."

"Ben, let him go," Alice muttered, glaring daggers at Doom. "He isn't worth your time, or space."

"Alice is right, Ben. Let him go," Reed added. Ben reluctantly moved his hand away from Doom's throat. Doom collapsed moments later, gasping for air. "How is this possible?" he demanded, glaring at Doom. "How are you still alive?"

"No thanks to you five, that's for certain, _freak_ ," Doom sneered, brushing off his leather coat.

Alice only rolled her eyes at the nickname her father had used many times. By now, she had gotten used to all the insults that were hurtled her way. If Doom thought he was going to intimidate her, he was in for a nasty surprise. She'd gotten over the fear of being intimidated by men bigger than her. After working with the team for nearly a year, Alice knew that she could stand up for herself if need be. Besides, if the threat of the Surfer was anything like she suspected, Doom was the least of their problems.

"Von Doom's made contact with the alien. He's got valuable information," Hagar explained, ignoring the tension that filled the room.

"Information that might just save the planet. Now, let's be clear about this, shall we? I hate you. All of you," Doom said, looking at Reed and Sue as he said that. "But the world's at stake and… we need to work together to survive."

The smugness in his voice made Alice want to vomit. Not for the first time, she found herself glaring at the man. Threat or not from the Surfer, she knew that Doom couldn't be trusted. Hagar was putting every life at risk by allowing this bastard to walk free. Then again, she was hardly surprised someone who worked for the military was gullible enough to believe Doom would help him. Especially if he was a desperate man at that.

"Yeah, information that comes with a price," Alice added under her breath.

"General, we know firsthand – you trust Victor and you're gonna regret it," Reed tried reasoning with Hagar, a slight edge on his voice.

"So far, the only one I've regretted trusting here is you, Richards," Hagar replied.

She flinched at that. As much as Alice hated to admit it, she realized that Hagar made a valid point. The team hadn't really acted like a team in London. She knew that things could have gone more smoothly had they thought things through.

"Reed, don't agree with this," Ben protested.

"This has bad idea written all over it," Alice added as Reed looked at her.

"Reed, you're the leader… do whatever you decide," Sue said reassuringly.

Reed looked at Doom thoughtfully.

"Let's see what he's got," he finally told them.

…

Alice watched warily as the aides working for Hagar set up the video that Doom had captured of the Surfer. She knew that Doom was up to no good. Her mind was screaming at her to get away while she could, but her body remained glued where it was. She couldn't abandon everyone; besides, Hagar would likely throw her in jail the minute he had the chance.

It didn't help matters that Doom had his eye on her the entire time. Alice tried hiding from his piercing gaze, but no matter how hard she tried, he seemed to be everywhere. Ben had made it a point in growling at Doom when he had noticed. Of course, he didn't even bat an eyelash or flinch. A shudder ran through Alice as she imagined what Doom would have done to her, had he gotten his hands on her before Reed and the others met her. Something in the back of Alice's mind told her that would have ended in chaos.

"It's ready, sir," the aide announced after putting together the equipment needed.

Sure enough, the video feed was grainy at best, proving that Doom didn't have professional camera-men working at his side.

"Vic, I'd fire your camera crew," Ben said in a smug voice. "The quality of this video ain't worth much."

Alice only nodded in agreement. Doom only rolled his eyes and fast forward to one part in particular. A cloaked figure stood on the side of a mountain, facing the Surfer himself. Alice felt another chill run through her at the sight. The way the Surfer had looked at her only made things all the more nerve-wracking.

"As you can see, I made a detailed recording of our little encounter," Doom explained, his voice full of pride and smugness as everyone leaned forward to hear what they were saying.

"All that you know is at an end," the Surfer had said before suddenly blasting Doom with a powerful energy surge.

The force had sent Doom flying into a tree, and Alice almost wished she could have high-fived the Surfer for that one. Anyone who could throw Doom like that without a second thought deserved that much.

"Well?" Doom asked, glancing at the others.

"I like the part where he knocks you on your ass," Alice pointed out.

She didn't miss Reed's grin as Doom only rolled his eyes at that remark.

"It looked as if it came from the board he's on," Reed added, noting the source of the energy surge. "The energy was channeled through him, but it originated from his board."

"If we can separate him from the board, we can cut off his power completely," Doom said in a smug voice.

"And that's what we have to do," Hagar said.

"How?" Johnny asked.

"If I knew that, I wouldn't need you people, would I?" Doom asked, his eyes falling on Alice once again.

She backed further away as she felt the tension rise. The room had suddenly gotten much colder, and she hadn't realized it until Reed put his hand on her shoulder. She flinched at the contact and concentrated on keeping control.

"You two should get started right away," General Hagar said, ignoring the tension that seemed to make the room that much more awkward.

Doom smiled and looked them all, his expression smug. Alice almost wished she could smack that smug expression clear off his face.

"Well, I'm glad that we have the opportunity to collaborate, again," he sneered.

"You know, I think I'd rather put up with my father than work with you," she muttered under her breath.

The creepy smirk that followed was enough to send shivers through her. She didn't talk much about her father in front of anyone openly. Especially not around people she didn't know very well. She hadn't missed the warning look Reed threw her when he noticed the tension rising between them.

"I imagine what I would do to you is far worse than what your father could do," he replied without missing a beat. Alice only glared back defiantly. He really was an asshole who needed to be put in his place, "I'll try and talk slowly, so that you can keep up."

It took everything Alice had not to slap him right then and there. She knew better – Hagar would have her locked up within seconds if she retaliated against someone he thought was helping them. Even if that someone was Doom. Though, that hadn't stopped Reed from glaring at him. Whatever happened, Alice knew this wasn't going to end well, for anyone.


	19. Part Two, Chapter Nine

**Part Two, Chapter Nine**

It was late by the time they returned to the Baxter Building. The tension Alice felt with Doom only seemed to be getting worse. She did everything in her power to avoid him. Which was easier said than done. Doom had a certain way of making his presence known, even when he wasn't in the same room.

That alone was just another reason why she wanted her own safe room; a place where even Doom couldn't get in and ruin things. If Reed was as smart as everyone claimed, he should have built the safehouse where she could keep her powers contained, and, restrain herself from hurting anyone else.

She couldn't shake off the sense of dread that would follow if such an occurrence happened. While she managed to talk with Sue about her problems, she didn't know how the rest of the team would react. Johnny was out of the question; he'd just take the whole thing immaturely. She could talk to Ben about it, but he would tell Reed, and Reed had enough to worry about as it was. She didn't want to make things worse with the team than they already were.

 _Besides, this is my problem_ , she reminded herself guiltily. _I can't keep relying on the team for help when they have enough to worry about_.

"You okay?" Alice blinked in surprise at Johnny's question as she stood in the living room, staring off into space.

The whole day had been hectic to say the least. All she wanted now was to fall asleep and forget what had happened. Yet, something in the back of her mind kept telling her that sleep was the last thing on her mind. With all the nightmares that she had, recently, she hadn't been getting much sleep to begin with. She couldn't bring herself to admit that she had been having nightmares about her father again. Nightmares that she knew were more than just nightmares. They were memories, and a part of her past that she tried keeping hidden from the others for a reason.

"I'm just worried," she admitted, flinching when she felt him reach her, closing the distance between them. The heat that radiated off of him was enough of a reminder why they didn't mix well together. "Reed's out of his mind if he thinks Doom is going to help us."

"Yeah, well, it isn't as if we have a say in the matter."

She bit back a yelp of surprise when she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. It took a few seconds for her to register that Johnny's other hand was on her waist. Instead of feeling the normally intense heat that he gave off, she felt a rush of butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She struggled to relax against his warm, firm touch. As much as she hated to admit it, there was no denying that Johnny had a way of drawling her in that others didn't.

"Did you just swap powers with me?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady as she saw the look of mischief written across his face.

Try as he might, Johnny couldn't keep a straight face around her for long. She was different from other women he'd met. Different in a good way. The moment her eyes met his was when she saw a question forming within them. She couldn't help but take in his blue eyes, finding herself swimming within them. Not for the first time, she wondered why she kept keeping her distance from him.

"Maybe," he replied, the tone of his voice enough to leave her legs feeling like jelly, "What is it gonna take for you to start dating me?"

For a moment, Alice wasn't sure how to answer as she looked at him in disbelief. His persistence certainly was something she hadn't counted on. She was always so afraid that one of these days, she would simply say 'yes' and give in to the temptation. Yet, the more she thought about it, the more she realized just how alluring he was. His reputation, and her fear of losing control were just some of the many excuses she made when it came to pushing him away. The last thing she wanted or needed was the media going crazy over the fact that they were dating. Especially when she knew how much he loved soaking in the attention they gave him.

"Maybe if you stopped drooling over every woman you meet," she started, swapping their powers back as she gently pushed him away. "Johnny, I know you. I know what you're like around women. I'm saving myself from future heartache."

Something flashed within Johnny's eyes. Understanding. He finally seemed to understand why she had been pushing him away so often. Why she was so afraid of moving forward, and starting something all together more terrifying. Love was new territory for her. It was the unknown; a place that she feared more than anything else.

"Alice, I'm not gonna be that way, around you," he tried reassuring her. "Believe me, you're… different from every woman I've met. Different in a good way."

Alice only blinked in surprise as she tried to register what he was saying. She couldn't move; her legs felt frozen on the spot as he closed the distance between them once more. Her mind was already spinning with a dozen questions when she felt his warm hands around her waist, pulling her in close. The moment she felt his lips on hers was when all other thoughts dissipated.

Her heart began racing for a whole different reason as that same rush of electricity swept through her. She wrapped her arms instinctively around his neck, suddenly aware of the fact that they had swapped powers again. It was the first time they kissed. And, Alice was only just beginning to realize how much she had been missing out on. The feeling of his soft lips against hers, warm and tender, left her heart feeling a dozen emotions she'd never felt before.

She couldn't hide the blush that followed even if she wanted to, realizing that his hands were on her waist, holding her close against his warm chest. The electrical rush of emotions that surged through her was enough to make her feel dizzy.

"That was…"

She couldn't bring herself to finish when they finally pulled apart, gasping for air. The moment their eyes met was when Alice found herself wishing she could explain the rush of emotions swimming through her. She was terrified. Terrified, confused, and curious.

"Amazing," Johnny breathed out, a huge grin spreading across his face.

"Yeah," she finally nodded in agreement, feeling her racing heart steady once the adrenaline of that kiss faded.

"So… Does this mean you'll go on a date with me?"

She held back a sigh, realizing that urge to say 'no' came rushing back. She didn't know if Johnny would turn on her. Much like the other women he dated, it could end up as a one-night stand. That thought alone was enough to justify her reluctance.

"Yes," she finally answered.

The look of shock that followed was priceless. By now, Alice was struggling not to laugh at his expression when he realized that she'd said 'yes'. He didn't say a thing as he captured her lips with his once more, this time with more passion.

…

Alice found herself sitting in the bar while Johnny threw a dart at the target board. Ben was drinking from a pitcher as he watched the latest news. Her talk with Johnny the other night was enough to leave her head swimming with a dozen questions. Was he being serious when he asked her on a date? What would she do when the time finally came? Did he consider this a date? How would she be able to control her powers?

She tried pushing the questions to the side, knowing that thinking about it would only make things worse. Besides, they all had more important things to worry about at the moment.

"How can we be working on the same side as Victor?" Johnny asked irritably.

"You got me, pal. Things were a lot simpler when I could just whale on the guy," Ben replied with a shrug.

Alice took a sip of her drink and tried not to think about it. She was still tense from her conversation between Reed and Doom. After that encounter, it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep control of her powers. It was like Doom's revival had only made things worse for her powers. Something about the way he talked and acted as if he belonged there added to the worry and anger she felt towards him. Doom was not the type of man she would want to strike a deal with, no matter the circumstances. And, Hagar was playing a losing game of chess with Doom.

Johnny threw another dart, and suddenly it caught on fire. Everyone jumped at the sight and started complaining about it until Alice doused it with ice. Ever since his encounter with the Surfer, it seemed as if Johnny had been losing control of his own powers. Alice suspected that whatever happened between him and the Surfer wouldn't go away until they finally encountered the alien in question.

"I'll pay for that," Johnny muttered, his voice cross.

"You better," the bartender snapped.

Rolling her eyes at the prospect, she stood up and paid off the tab, along with a new dartboard. Last thing anyone needed was another argument. Especially given the circumstances of their situation. She wasn't in the mood to listen to any arguments, not when she was so close to losing control of her powers.

"Sometimes I feel like a complete screw up," Johnny said after sighing in frustration.

"Hey, hey, you're not a _complete_ screw up," Ben reassured him with a smirk.

"Thank you."

"Besides, you aren't the only one who's been messing up, lately, Torch," she muttered under her breath, earning a look of surprise from Johnny.

"Yeah, but, you at least have a valid excuse, Frost," he pointed out, not bothering to hide the smug look as he reached her.

Alice only rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time, especially when she caught the glare Ben was giving them. Even he had noticed the sudden change in attitude they had towards each other, and, he didn't like it.

"Look, kids, it's out of our hands now," Ben added as he looked at Alice seriously. She had wanted to help, but of course, Doom's presence had only infuriated her. "It's up to the eggheads now."

"Eggheads? Really?" Alice tried not to laugh at that comment. Ben was ready to defend himself when Alice only shook her head, "don't worry, no one's offended… except for Doom maybe."

"But, seriously, you think Reed's right?" Johnny asked, changing the subject as he threw two more darts at the board. "About the whole end-of-the-world thing?"

"He's never been wrong about this kind of stuff before," Ben replied.

"Well, I'm not exactly a deep kind of guy," Johnny said after sitting down. Alice tried not to laugh at that as she sat down between him and Ben, for once, welcoming the warmth that Johnny provided. "But if Reed's right, and this is it… how would you spend your last few minutes?" he asked, looking at them both.

Alice only shrugged. The thought of what she would do if these were her last few days had never occurred to her. If it had been up to her, she would have done everything in her power to prevent something like that from happening. Even she knew how foolish it was, though. Knowing that it was the end of the world, something told her she would have wanted to spend the last few minutes with the people she cared about the most.

"I guess if it were my last day on Earth, I'd want to help people in the best way possible," she replied. "I've never really considered what I would do for myself… it seems selfish."

She hadn't missed the look Johnny threw her. She was always full of self-doubt and awareness for others. That sense of something going horribly wrong when she got close to someone had never left her.

"Part of me would want to go out fighting," Ben said after looking at Alice in surprise. "But the truth is… I'd like to spend my last couple of minutes holding Alicia."

She hadn't really thought of spending time with her family as something special to do. After all, her family had pretty much abandoned her. She realized that if it wasn't for Reed intervening with her family, she would have never gotten out of that situation. She owed him more than she could ever admit out loud. Spending time with the team would have felt like the right thing to do.

"That sounds pretty good… I mean, not the holding Alicia thing – that's, you know, your girlfriend. I want nothing to do with her, not to say that she's not attractive. She's very attractive. I mean, she's, you know, so attractive. Even with the, you know – I can't even think of a guy who wouldn't want to be with—" Ben interrupted his rambling with a loud bang.

"What I meant… was that it's just nice to have somebody," Johnny said.

Alice blinked in surprise when Johnny looked in her direction. She tried to hide the blush that followed, especially when she knew that they had kept their conversation between them. She had a feeling that Ben wouldn't have taken news of their conversation well. Though, Alice knew they would find out sooner or later, and they would both have to face the music after that.

"Well, you got me, pal," Ben said, clanking his glass against Johnny's.

…

It had only taken Reed a few hours to come up with a design for the plan he'd been discussing with Doom. General Hagar was studying the blueprints warily as Reed explained to him how the devices would work. She'd returned from the bar to find that Reed had been working on the design most of the day, and now had Hagar in the same room.

"When we activate the field, it'll separate him from his board, making him powerless," Reed explained as Hagar looked at him in confusion.

"It's like a fish net," General Hagar concluded.

"Yeah," Sue and Reed said at the same time. "In theory, anyways," Reed quickly added.

"How long before this is operational?"

"Three hours," Reed replied.

"Three hours?"

Hagar frowned at the thought of the timeline they had between the Surfer being captured and the machine being built. Alice chewed the bottom of her lip when she realized that Reed would be working harder than ever to make sure everything was operational.

"I know… I can only work so fast, since apparently I'm working by myself now," Reed explained while his arms crossed in frustration.

"What do you need to make this happen?" Hagar asked.

"Actually, there are a couple of things."

Sue dropped the papers she was holding on the table and started making her way down the hall. Alice hadn't wasted any time in following her. If this was about Doom's reluctance to help Reed, she wanted a piece of that action. He was nothing more than an asshole, one who needed to be put in his place. She may not have hated Doom, but, she didn't trust the guy anymore than she could throw him when it came to working together.

Sure enough they found Doom in his room, fiddling around with something and oblivious to the newcomers. Alice resisted the urge to glare at him as he finally noticed their presence and turned around, a smug look written across his face.

"What are you doing?" Sue demanded.

"Don't you people knock?" Doom shot back, glaring at the two women.

"You're supposed to be helping Reed in the lab," Alice snapped.

"Tell him not to worry," Doom said in a calm voice.

Actually, he sounded almost _too_ calm for Alice's liking. Her fists clenched as she tried to keep control over her powers. There really was nothing worse than being put in the same room as a bastard who clearly thought he was better than everyone else. Alice knew for a fact that her powers ran off of emotions, and lately, those emotions had been going haywire for multiple reasons.

Sue glanced over Doom's shoulder and noticed the gear that he was working on. Her eyes narrowed at the objects, and Doom tried to hide them best as he could.

"Anything else?" he asked.

"How'd you do it? How'd you come back?" Sue finally asked the question everyone wanted to ask but was too afraid to.

"Scares you, doesn't it?" Doom asked after chuckling at her question. He moved a little closer to Alice, and she felt herself tensing immediately. "The things I can do."

"Did you know that I have the power to freeze you from the inside?" Alice countered, a smirk showing as she noticed Doom flinch a little. "The process can be slow and painful, but it's amazing how effective it is when I need to freeze someone."

The look that Sue gave her was priceless. She had never seen this side of Alice, who was usually too timid to speak her mind. Now, Alice was glaring coldly at Doom, literally. Her eyes turned icy blue as she locked eyes with Doom, and slowly his arms were beginning to turn a raw shade of blue. Sue finally grabbed her by the arm and stopped her.

"Alice, that's enough," she said quietly.

Alice broke from her trance-like stare and glared at Doom once again. It took a few seconds for her to realize what she was doing. Guilt suddenly swept through her; she'd never used her powers to hurt others on purpose. It would only justify what people thought of her.

"A frozen heart won't do you much good in battle, will it?" she asked, her voice like chips of ice as she walked away, leaving the two of them dumb-founded and shocked.

Sue crossed her arms and looked at Doom, struggling to stay calm after that incident.

"Just get back to the lab," she ordered.


	20. Part Two, Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

 _Alice drew in a sharp breath as she packed all of her clothing and everything she could take in one small suitcase. When her father had said she didn't belong in this family, she hadn't realized until too late that he was serious. He'd given her a day to gather her belongings and leave before calling the cops on her. Alice didn't bother arguing with him, knowing full-well that her father always had the last word. She wasn't in the mood to put up with him when he was fully capable of hurting her without hesitation. She'd learned that the hard way when she accidentally hurt Lana. She still had the injuries from where he'd used his belt to give her a few lashings that were only just beginning to heal._

 _"He was really serious about kicking you out, wasn't he?" Jacob asked in disbelief when she finally met him at the local cafe where she normally worked at night. Now that she was on her own, she needed more money than ever if she wanted to pay for rent. Living on the streets was always an option, even if it was only temporary. Once she had finished packing, she hadn't had the heart to face her family. Now, she understood why. "Alice, you can always stay at my place until things quiet down."_

 _"Jacob, I'm not going back to their place," she muttered, her voice quiet as she refused to make eye contact with him. Jacob's face softened when he realized the extent of what had happened. She'd always been quiet because of her father, but this was a whole new level of fear he hadn't seen before, "I'm planning on finding my own place… I'm sure there's somewhere in the city that's cheap enough for a minimum wage job."_

 _Jacob only shook his head, clearly aware that this was more than just about leaving her family behind, "Would you at least stay until you've got enough money to pay for a month's rent? My parents won't mind if it's temporary. They know you well enough that you'd never try hurting me on purpose, or, them, for that matter."_

 _She couldn't help but flinch at his suggestion. She knew that it was purely out of pity, he was offering her a place to stay. His own parents rented an apartment where they had their own room, and he had his. It was big enough for a small family to live in, and the last thing she wanted was to overstay her welcome. Besides, it wasn't as if his parents actually got along with her._

 _She could still remember their reaction when they found out that she had powers. While Jacob had taken it surprisingly well, his parents reacted much like her own did. They considered her a freak, and never let her stay any longer than an hour or two, if she was lucky. Jacob just thought the whole idea of having powers was amazing, something of which she found herself appreciating more and more._

 _"I'm going to ask the boss if I can work full-time to earn more money," she told him, "If I can't get a full-time job, here, then I'll try looking for another place to work."_

 _He just stared at her, feeling his own heart lurch with pity when he realized she wouldn't be so accepting of handouts. Alice wasn't the kind of person who did so without a second thought. It was one of the many qualities about Alice that he secretly admired. That, and her raw determination to survive no matter what the world threw at her was something he couldn't help but wish he had. With a sigh, he finally gave a nod and took hold of her gloved hands, squeezing them gently._

 _"I care about you, Al. You're my best friend; if there's anything you ever need, don't be afraid to ask. I know it isn't easy," he reminded her._

 _She simply offered a ghost of a smile, already aware that asking him for help was the last thing she would do. She planned on going through this on her own, whether it killed her in the end or not._

…

It didn't take long for Reed to discover the next location where the Surfer would appear. Once he'd jotted down the coordinates and figured out what to do from there, the team regrouped and headed to a base.

Alice leaned against a wall, chewing the bottom of her lip as she thought of the confrontation with the Silver Surfer, and, how that would go. Their last encounter hadn't necessarily ended on a high note, and, she worried that things would only get worse, from here.

"Anyone ever tell you that you're cute when you look worried?"

She bit back a groan at the sound of Johnny's voice. She couldn't stop the heat rising to her cheeks even if she wanted to, especially when she saw that he was wrapped only in a towel. She would have punched him right then and there if it wasn't for the fact that he hovered in front of her. The body heat he produced was enough to make her wish she had planned ahead.

They were planning on intercepting the Surfer in ten minutes. Which meant the whole team needed to be ready for what lay ahead. Reed had already asked her to inform Johnny, who had been showering at the time of their decision to intercept the Surfer.

"You're infuriating, you know that?" she muttered as his smirk only widened.

The smug look written across his face only aggravated her further, especially when he grinned like a Cheshire cat, again, "Infuriating in a good way, or, a bad way?"

"The team's leaving to intercept the Surfer in ten minutes," she informed him.

She already regretted her choice in words immediately as Johnny leaned further, pressing a hand against the wall. He would be the type of person to take advantage of the situation they were in. The only positive outcome was that they were in a hurry at the moment.

"So, were you waiting out here just to see me in a towel?"

His question was enough for her to roll her eyes, especially when she saw the water that soaked him turn into steam. Once again, his arrogance and immaturity of the situation bled through. Though, this time, she was more amused than annoyed that he found the whole thing flattering.

"Keep your towel on, flameboy," she snorted, shoving him to the side.

Though, even after saying that, she couldn't hide the small smirk that followed as she heard Johnny running after her. She may have agreed to going on a date with him, but that didn't mean she knew her limits. The last thing she wanted, or needed was to add to the already nagging feeling in the back of her mind whenever he was around. She had enough to worry about as it was, at the moment.

…

Black Forest, Germany.

In hindsight, it was everything Alice expected it to be.

Large pine trees surrounded most of the area. She could make out villages, small towns, and cities off in the distance from where they were standing. She'd never traveled much in the past, and that was thanks to her wonderful father never inviting her on the business trips he took. Now, she had the opportunity to see the world, just before it ended.

Shaking her head at the thought, Alice realized just how irrelevant that sounded. Her life had changed for the better, when she chose to stay. As much as she hated to admit it, and as selfish as it sounded, the team splitting apart was the worst thing that could happen. She knew she would be on the run again, if they decided to part ways. Even if she had agreed to go on a date with Johnny, she didn't know how long that notion would last if Sue and Reed decided to go their separate ways.

The team approached the site in question. This was where the Silver Surfer would appear, according to Reed's latest findings. They needed to work fast if they wanted to catch him. Something told Alice that capturing the Surfer would be easier said than done, given his ability to cause machinery to malfunction. She just hoped they were more prepared this time.

"Sir, he's holding his position north of here," Frankie reported to the general.

"Good."

"General," Reed began as he led the team up to him. "Give us a one-mile perimeter."

"Forget it, Richards," Hagar snapped. "You had your shot, and you blew it. This is a military operation now, so jam the signal get out of the way, and let us do our job."

The general pushed past Reed and started walking away. Alice crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at his back, earning a smirk from Johnny. General or not, this guy was an ass. He needed to be put in his place, especially when it came to world-wide threats. He certainly wasn't gaining any bonus points with his attitude, and she wasn't going to respect someone who clearly didn't deserve it.

"You don't understand," Reed began protesting, but the general wasn't having any of it.

"No, you don't understand. So, let me make it clear to you and your pack of freaks here. I'm the quarterback, you're on my team. Got it?"

The general's attitude was really beginning to irritate Alice. Ice began forming along the edge of her fingers as she glared at him. She blinked in surprise when Johnny suddenly brushed his hand against hers, careful not to burn her. The power swap only lasted for a second before she swapped them back, squeezing his hand to show her thanks.

What did bother her more than anything was that Doom was watching from behind with keen interest. He seemed to have his own agenda as far as the Surfer was concerned. Knowing that much, and how 'helpful' he had been with Reed in designing the machine in question, Alice suspected this wasn't going to end well for Hagar.

"But, I guess you never played football in high school, did you, Richards?" General Hagar sneered.

His jibe at Reed earned a look of confusion from Alice. Clearly, they had more history together than she realized. Not for the first time, Alice found herself feeling more and more annoyed with Hagar's attitude towards the team. He was starting to laugh to himself until Reed made a quick and clean comeback.

"No, you're right, I didn't," Reed agreed with him. "I stayed inside and studied like a good little nerd." He dropped his head dramatically before continuing. "And twenty five years later, I'm one of the greatest minds of the twenty first century, I'm engaged to the hottest girl on the planet, and the big jock who played football in high school?" Reed leaned forward and looked at Hagar seriously. "Well, he's standing right in front of me, asking me for my help. And I say he's not gonna get a damn thing unless he does exactly what I tell him, and starts treating my friends, my family, and me with some respect."

The general cocked his head and looked at Reed like he was a smart-ass. Alice was partly afraid he might actually smack him. Luckily, he didn't and just shook his head.

"Give 'em what he wants," the general said.

Sue swaggered up when Reed practically bumped his hips against hers.

"I'm so hot for you," she whispered.

Alice tried not to laugh when Johnny ran over and wrapped his arms around Reed's shoulders.

"Me too!"

Their powers switched in an instant. She couldn't help but smirk when Ben put a hand on her shoulder and nodded in agreement.

"Alright guys, be careful. Let's get back to work," Reed told them, though even he was grinning as he swapped powers back with Johnny.

…

All five of them walked carefully through the forest to find their determined points where they would place their machine. They came across the new crater that broke through the dense cover of trees. Alice eyed the crater warily, and she suddenly wondered just how deep it was.

"This is it," Reed announced after judging the distance between the crater and their posts. "You have your coordinates. Set up your posts and rendezvous back here."

Each of them walked off in different directions. Johnny and Reed had set up theirs almost immediately. Soon Ben was quick to follow, while Sue and Alice were having a bit of trouble setting up theirs. Reed looked up and noticed that Alice hadn't set hers up just as Sue finished.

"What's your status?" he asked through the cons.

"Yeah, I'm good to go," Ben replied with a nod.

"Same here," Johnny replied.

"Good to go," Sue added.

"Almost got it," Alice replied as she fumbled with the tube. She was ready to complete her emitter but she stopped when she saw something in the distance. The trees were beginning to lean forward, towards her. Her heart was racing with dread when she saw the Surfer slowly emerging from the line of trees. "Uh, guys, we have a problem," she whispered.

"What's wrong?" Reed was quick to ask.

"He's here."

The Surfer straightened himself to a standing position on his board. His expression was impossible to make out. Yet, she felt an overwhelming sense that he wasn't going to attack, despite the obvious threat he posed on the world.

"Alice, get out of there, now!" Reed ordered.

For a moment Alice couldn't move. It was just like the incident on the London Eye. The Surfer's gaze was locked with hers for the longest time before she glanced at the emitter. He moved as fast as she did when she tried reaching for the device, only to have him counteract. Finally, Alice forced herself to relax and gazed into the Surfer's eyes once more.

"Why are you destroying our planet?" she finally found the courage to ask.

"I have no choice."

Alice blinked in surprise. She wasn't expecting an answer, or the deep voice that came from him. Reed had broken through the trees, and the Surfer knew that he was there. She struggled to maintain her composure as the Surfer glared in Reed's direction.

"Alice!" he shouted.

"Wait," she stopped him before he could get any closer. The Surfer followed her gaze and looked coldly at Reed. Luckily their staring contest didn't last long as he focused on her again. "What do you mean, you don't have a choice? There's always a choice."

Silence seemed to grip the forest as the Surfer watched her warily. "Not always," he replied.

"Why are you trying to destroy us?" Alice asked, trying to keep him distracted.

But it was more than that. She _wanted_ to know why the Surfer was here. What had drawn him to this world? And why did he seem so interested in her?

"I am not the destroyer," the Surfer replied with a shake of his head.

In the distance, General Hagar and his men were all observing the scene carefully. Hagar watched them through a pair of binoculars and narrowed his eyes. The Surfer was leaning forward at a dangerously close distance as he spoke with Alice.

"Come on, Richards, just jam the damn signal," the general muttered.

"Maybe he needs a little persuasion," Doom suggested. The general looked at him warily.

"Fire on over the top," he ordered.

The missile launched from the truck at the Surfer. It soared through the air before Alice had finally spotted it too late. Reed and Johnny were the first to see it. Alice would have stopped it midair, but the Surfer had other ideas. He drifted in front of Alice, holding out his arms as if shielding her from the blow. Alice stared at him in shock as he suddenly raised his board, and the missile seemed to materialize into the board before disappearing entirely.

"Open fire!" the general shouted.

Alice held back a sigh of frustration when she realized this wasn't going to end well. Firing at an enemy they knew nothing about was a mistake. If he decided to try and fight back, they wouldn't stand a chance.

The order was followed throughout the compound before the soldiers finally opened fire. The missiles flew through the air and straight towards the Surfer and Alice. The Surfer had caught the ones that were aimed in his direction, but the ones he didn't were blown up in the air by Alice. She suddenly slipped the tube into the glass and was fumbling to slide it into the globe.

Johnny's chest lit on fire as he glared at the missiles. If those bastards did anything to hurt her, he would never forgive them. She'd already been through enough hell as it was without the army firing bombs at her.

"Let me just—" Reed cut him off.

"No. Wait."

"Reed," Ben shifted uncomfortably as the Surfer picked up speed and flew towards them.

"Come on, Alice," Reed muttered.

She finally dropped the tube at the last second and pressed the button on the top.

"Alright, it's up," she told them.

Reed held up his device and pressed the button to activate the Tachyon pulse.

"Got him."

The pulse emitted through the air, hitting the Surfer hard, causing him to clutch his head in pain. His silver body seemed to melt right through the board as he struggled to keep hold his grip. The board had stopped moving the moment the Surfer crashed into the forest floor. His entire body, which once was a lustrous silver, now turned into a dull gray color. He reached for his board in agony, but to no avail.

Alice felt more than just pity for the Surfer. Her eyes widened in horror when Doom suddenly fired lightning at him. She was ready to fight back when he suddenly aimed his hand at her.

"I wouldn't move any closer, _freak_ ," he said icily, "I know Reed's been looking into your powers, and your history. I doubt he and the rest of the team would look at you the same, if you lost control."

Her legs felt like they were glued to the ground as he eyed her with renewed interest, along with the board itself. A shiver of dread swept through her when she realized what he meant, by that. The team would turn on her, just like everyone else did. They would treat her like another common criminal, and lock her up.

 _Maybe it's better that way_ , she thought bitterly, realizing that in the end, being locked up meant she wouldn't run into the risk of hurting anyone.

"Victor, stay back!" Reed shouted as he joined them.

"You're the quarterback," Doom said in a smug tone.

Alice ignored him and slowly approached the Surfer. He lay motionless on the ground, arm around his stomach as if he was clenching it in pain.

 _If I had healing powers, I'd use them_ , she thought sadly.

She knelt down and pressed her hand gently across the Surfer's forehead. By now she had regained control of her powers, but the small shockwave of ice might be enough to bring him back, even if just for a little while.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Reed gently wrapped his arm around her and helped her stand. After everything that had happened to her, he couldn't blame her for the sudden rush of emotions sweeping through her. This all felt too familiar. It felt as if the same thing would happen to her, if she suddenly lost control. She understood that these people would never trust her, fully, and, had already been ready to accept that realization.

The units of men were beginning to surround them, weapons at large as they were aimed to fire.

"Eyes on, keep your weapons trained." The general looked around at Doom and the team that had also joined them. "Perimeter secure."


	21. Part Two, Chapter Eleven

**Part Two, Chapter Eleven**

They'd moved to a base in Siberia.

Somewhere isolated and out of the prying eyes of any civilians. Alice was uncomfortable with the idea, at best. Given that the Surfer had been unconscious during transport and was now strapped to a stretcher while being transferred to some room where they would interrogate her, she couldn't imagine what sort of torture they would put him through.

The worst part was seeing the condition he had been in upon arrival. The rest of the team had emerged from the truck when they watched him being moved to the room where they would interrogate him. Soldiers surrounded him with machine guns and other weapons if he tried attacking. Though, Alice doubted he was in any condition to do so.

"But, general, we had an agreement!" Reed yelled as he pushed his way through the front of the soldiers who had already surrounded the perimeter, reaching general Hagar.

"Calm down," Hagar, who had only rolled his eyes irritably upon Reed's approach, snapped, "The enemy has been captured. Mission accomplished."

Alice hated the look written across his face, "Then why doesn't it feel like an accomplishment?" she muttered under her breath.

If anything, it felt as if they'd made a mistake. Hagar didn't bother responding to her question, though she hadn't missed the glare he threw her. She simply returned the gesture, suddenly wishing she could smack the smug look off his face.

"Where is he?" Sue demanded, trying to make peace before things escalated to a firefight.

"Contained."

A man dressed in a lab coat called Hagar's name from the hallway. Said general turned in the man's direction and waved him off.

Shivers ran through Alice when she caught the cold look he gave her. She saw nothing but a cold emptiness within those dark eyes of his. What bothered her more than anything was the way he kept staring. This man, along with the general, were probably going to do whatever it took to get answers from the Surfer.

"I want to be there for the questioning," Reed insisted.

He walked forward a few steps, but stopped when the general shot him a glare. Alice narrowed her eyes when she realized that no matter what Reed or anyone said, they wouldn't want the team anywhere near the Surfer. She had no doubt they didn't want them seeing the 'unethical' methods that were used on the Surfer during his interrogations.

Since the Surfer wasn't technically even human, they would use that as an excuse to run whatever experiments they could on him. She started rubbing her arms up and down at the thought of what would happen if they used the same methods on the team.

"That's not going to happen," Hagar retorted, this time with the same curt tone he'd used when they first met, "Please, make sure our guests remain here comfortably," he ordered the soldier standing near the door.

Alice shivered as the door slammed, reminding her too much of the way her father used to either lock her in the closet or her own room years ago. Bad memories of her old life kept rushing back at full force, and it was only getting worse. She knew being in this place wasn't helping matters. Reed turned to see Alice leaning against the wall, holding herself close as she stared at nothing in particular.

"Hey, are you alright?" he asked when he reached her side. She flinched when she caught him looking at her. Reed finally deflated after seeing the look of fear written across her eyes. Sue, Ben and Johnny had luckily been keeping their distance when they noticed something was clearly wrong, "Alice, what's wrong?"

"My father used to threaten that he would call the military on me when I was younger," she finally murmured, refusing to make eye contact. Hell, that wasn't even the worst of her fears. "Being here only brings back bad memories."

"Alice…" Reed's face softened with realization.

After seeing the physical abuse she had endured from her father, he could hardly blame her for feeling so fearful. When they first brought her in, it was painfully obvious that she hadn't been eating, properly. She was so thin to the point they thought she was anorexic, and had worried that it would take more than a few nutritious meals to get her back on the right track. To top things off, she had always been so quiet and fearful around people she didn't know.

"None of us would let that bastard get his hands on you." Alice looked at Ben in surprise when he spoke up, "Kid, you're part of the family. Whether you wanna admit that or not."

For once, Alice didn't know what to say when she realized what Ben meant by that. She knew that her life had changed for the better, when Reed took her in and pulled her out of the life she once had. He'd saved her from the abusive nature of her father, and offered something so much better.

"Is that really what's been bothering you, lately?" Sue cut in this time, her eyes narrowed thoughtfully as Alice felt Johnny's gaze boring through her.

The tension from earlier suddenly returned tenfold. Alice chewed the bottom of her lip and looked down at the floor once again, suddenly aware that she had to explain the fear that had been eating at her for so long.

"I've been losing control of my powers more often," she finally confessed, earning a look of surprise from Ben. Reed and Sue were the only ones who knew the truth behind her powers fluctuating at a constant, continuous rate, "I'm so afraid that I'm going to hurt someone, without realizing it."

A shudder ran through her at the thought. She knew the chances were higher than ever. Stress had played a large factor in it. Between that and everything else, Alice became fully aware that if she ever did lose control, the best option might possibly be ending her life. The last thing she wanted was to hurt anyone, because of her powers. Especially when she had the potential to create a second ice age.

It wasn't until feeling a warm arm wrap around her waist that Alice finally looked up. Her heart nearly skipped a beat as she found herself staring into Johnny's eyes. Not for the first time, she floundered around him as she tried forming a proper sentence. How he moved from one corner of the room to the other without the others noticing the subtle movement was beyond her. For once though, Alice didn't feel the intense heat he normally gave off.

"You just swapped powers with her," Reed deadpanned.

His eyes widened in surprise when he realized that while _she_ had his powers, and that she hadn't turned into the Human Torch, _Johnny_ hadn't frozen the entire room. It took a few seconds for Alice to process what had happened.

"I knew it," Johnny wore that same ear-shitting grin again, this time wider than a Cheshire cat.

"How is this even possible?" Sue asked as she eyed the two up and down, trying to figure out herself how they swapped powers and managed to control them.

"People always claim fire and ice are a horrible mix, but in this case, I'd say it's the opposite," Reed explained, walking circles around them as Alice finally glared at Johnny.

"I told you we were meant to be together." Alice only rolled her eyes at the childlike glee in Johnny's voice. " _This_ just proves it."

" _This_ ," she started, pressing her hand on his shoulder to swap their powers back, "Proves that you really are an arrogant asshole."

That only seemed to make Johnny bolder. Alice bit back a sigh of frustration when he leaned forward, carefully so that their arms weren't touching, but enough so that his lips pressed against hers. She knew she couldn't wait it out much longer, not under that kind of pressure. The feeling of his warm lips pressed against hers was oddly comforting. As much as she hated to admit it, she realized with a start that this felt right.

"This is really fascinating," Reed mused thoughtfully as he watched the unlikely pair, despite the obvious disgust written across Ben's face, or the surprise written across Sue's face.

"You think a couple of idiots kissing is fascinating?" Ben snorted with a shake of his head, "Reed, I think you need to get your head examined."

By now, Alice was struggling not to laugh at Ben's reaction. She hadn't missed the triumphant smirk Johnny was giving her when they pulled apart, and nearly smacked him across the chest after realizing he'd just won the battle. Again.

"No, no. It's just, her powers are exactly like ours," Reed said, looking at Ben with a bit of excitement. "It's like, she had an early exposure to the clouds that gave us our powers."

"How exactly is it that I was exposed to these clouds before the rest of you?" Alice asked.

Now that she had gotten over the adrenaline of kissing Johnny, she found herself leaning into him as his arms wrapped around her waist possessively. He may have won the battle, but, that didn't mean he was giving up his victory anytime soon.

"I don't know," Reed shook his head, "But, maybe through a powerful storm that could have been effected by those same clouds. It could've pulled them through the vacuums of space."

Alice rose an eyebrow at that. She couldn't imagine how something like that would have happened. Yet, that explained the constant nightmares she had been suffering from the last few weeks. She recalled the one nightmare where there had been a terrible storm, and a couple looking for their daughter had been desperate to find her. She suddenly frowned at the thought, realizing that if such an occurrence had been from her own memories, then her parents had a lot of explaining to do.

 _Though, it isn't like they would care, in the first place_ , she reminded herself. The thought of facing her parents again only left her feeling even uneasier. She knew that she had every right to ask questions and get answers from them. But, the idea of confronting them was something that she never wanted to face. Not after everything they had done to her.

…

"Are we prisoners?" Johnny asked after glancing up at a camera pointed in their direction.

Things hadn't gotten much better in the room they were being kept in. After discussing matters regarding Alice and her powers, the room had fallen into uncomfortable silence. The only sense of comfort Alice had at the moment was that it no longer hurt when she and Johnny were in close proximity.

Before that, just enough contact would cause her to flinch. She could still remember when they first met, and it felt as if he'd literally burned her just by bumping into her. Maybe things had changed because they got to know each other, better. Either way, she wasn't complaining anytime soon.

"Apparently, they don't want us interfering with their methods," Reed explained after looking at the map on the wall for some time.

"I can't even imagine what they're doing to him, in there," Sue murmured with a shake of her head.

"I say, he gets what he deserves," Ben grumbled, crossing his arms when he looked at Johnny and Alice.

He hadn't quite gotten over the fact that they'd finally kissed in front of the team. It would take some getting used to. Alice grimaced at the thought of the Surfer 'getting what he deserved'. She knew that Ben meant well, and was just looking out for the world.

"How can you even say that?" Alice asked, eyes widening in disbelief as Ben winced at the tenseness in her voice, "We don't know anything about him, and he hasn't been given a chance to explain himself without being hurt in the process."

"Look, all I'm sayin' is, maybe the general's right," Ben tried defending himself, "The guy was about to destroy the planet. He said so himself."

Alice couldn't help but think there was more to it than that. The Surfer had looked sympathetic, despite having created those craters. The haunted look written across his face told her that something else was going on. He didn't want any part in their destruction. But he likely had no choice in the matter.

"I don't get it," Sue tapped the counter thoughtfully, "The Surfer stopped those missiles from reaching Alice. Why would he do that? He could have just let her die."

A shudder ran through Alice at the thought. Hell, maybe the world would have been better off if that did happen. It would have saved Reed from the trouble of figuring out what to do with her when this was all over. She still couldn't shake off the sense of fear that she would lose control of her powers, and that would be the end of everything.

"Maybe he thinks you're cute," Johnny suggested, kissing her playfully on the forehead.

She couldn't hide the sheepish grin that followed.

"As flattering as that sounds, Johnny, I highly doubt that's the case," she pointed out, "There's more going on than we understand. The Surfer mentioned that he wasn't the destroyer. Which leads me to wondering if something worse is approaching."

"Uh, maybe he lied," Ben snapped.

"What we need to do is get inside that room and talk to him," Reed said as he started pacing around again, "But, it would have to be under the radar… and, with someone he's comfortable talking to."

He glanced at Sue and Alice knowingly. Since the Surfer had somehow chosen to talk with her over the others, Alice suddenly understood the gravity of the situation. She knew that this could be their only chance in proving the Surfer's innocence, and hopefully put a stop to this madness.

"Alright, let's see if I can get this to work," Sue started when Johnny finally let go of Alice and she turned to concentrate on her, "I've only done this once."

Alice gave a nod, knowing that this wouldn't be easy for Sue. The last time she used it was when they rescued Reed from Doom. Back then, they had all the motivation in the world to accomplish what was needed. Now, they had something entirely different.

In a matter of seconds, the invisibility began to take over. Alice watched in amazement as her arms began to disappear, soon followed by everything else. Once she had disappeared completely, Sue let out a sigh of relief after realizing it had worked, again.

"I'm not sure how long this will last," Sue warned her, "I'm going with you to make sure that it holds until we get there."

…

"I know you are there."

The Surfer's voice caught her attention in a matter of seconds. Alice blinked, still crouching near the exam table he'd been strapped to. Anger churned within her when she saw the fresh injuries and old ones that covered his body. Once again, she was reminded of what her asshole of a father did to her not that long ago.

"Hey, I'm not going to hurt you," she tried soothing the Surfer as she noticed his cautious expression. Hell, she couldn't blame him for not trusting her right away. After what he went through, she doubted he would trust anyone anytime soon. "I only want to help you."

"You are different, from the others," the Surfer remarked.

Alice only looked at him in surprise, "Most people see me as nothing more than a monster," she admitted, "All I've ever wanted to do was help people." She paused as she felt the Surfer's thoughtful gaze boring through her, "Do you have a name? My name is Alice," she tried introducing herself.

"Come on, you have to have a name," Sue insisted, "My name's Susan Storm."

The Surfer only fell silent when Sue re-materialized beside Alice. She doubted he was going to say anything with two people being in the same room. But they had to at least try. The Surfer knew more about what was going on than they did, and there was a chance they could clear his name. Alice began to cling on to the hope that he didn't want anything to do with these attacks, even if he had no choice.

"You said you weren't the one trying to destroy our world," Alice went on hopefully, "Then, who is?"

"The one I serve," he replied.

"Who do you serve?" Sue asked encouragingly.

Alice sighed in frustration when she realized he wasn't going to answer Sue's questions.

"Look, we're only trying to help you," she explained. "But to do that, you have to tell us the truth. Please… I want to help you," she pleaded.

She tried to keep her patience, and the Surfer seemed to sense that.

The Surfer finally tipped his head back and closed his eyes. Alice and Sue watched in amazement as his chest began to reveal images.

"It is known by many names," he began as a black mass of a cloud appeared on his chest. "My people called it… Galactus – the devourer of worlds." The Surfer spoke slowly as images of planets were destroyed in the mere blink of an eye. Alice flinched at the sight, her eyes widening as she realized just how deadly this threat was. "It must feed on energy to survive, both thermal… and organic."

"How could you willingly serve this thing?" Sue asked.

"Because I must." His face never faltered as he spoke.

"Doesn't it bother you? All the worlds and innocent people you've destroyed?"

Sue was on the brink of yelling now. Alice had to tug on her sleeve in order to keep her voice down. The Surfer wasn't going to tell them anything if they went down that path. Besides, they had a higher chance of getting caught if Sue started yelling.

"My service spared my world… and the one I love," the Surfer replied, his voice full of guilt and sorrow.

Alice blinked in surprise as she once again saw an image of someone who looked strangely like the Surfer. A family, happy at one time, but torn apart because of this imposing threat. The Surfer had risked everything in order to protect them, even his own life.

"Why did you try to protect me?" she finally asked.

"Because… you remind me of her," the Surfer replied. He sounded almost embarrassed.

"Could it be because I somehow got my powers before the rest of the team?" Alice asked, her voice suddenly becoming bitter. From what Reed had explained, if she did receive her powers before the rest of the team, they might somehow be connected. Though, Alice doubted that was the case as Sue glanced in her direction. A door suddenly opened, and Sue placed her hand on Alice's shoulder to turn her invisible. "Could you stop the destroyer if you wanted to?" she asked after deciding to change tactics.

"It is not I who draws the destroyer here," the Surfer explained. "It is the beacon."

"What's the beacon?" Sue asked.

The guard standing outside peered into the room to see the Surfer speaking. Alice flinched at the sight, knowing that if they got caught now, it would be the end of it. Sue had already used her invisibility on her once more to keep them both from getting caught on the act.

"The source of my power."

"Your board…" This time it was Alice who spoke.

The Surfer nodded before catching sight of the guard who was watching. His gaze returned to the two girls solemnly.

"Take joy in the few hours you have left," the Surfer told them. "For he is nearly here."


	22. Part Two, Chapter Twelve

**Part Two, Chapter Twelve**

"And the board is what's drawling it here," Sue said as she finished explaining what they had discovered from the Surfer.

After talking with the Surfer, Alice knew for a fact that they needed to react immediately. If what he said about the Destroyer was true, the world was at risk. They couldn't ignore the threat, and Alice suspected that the military would do whatever they could to keep the Surfer within their clutches. Which meant they would have to fight back if the worst-case scenario played out.

She highly doubted that the military would even know what to do when the Destroyer did appear. While the team wasn't much better, at least they had the means of fighting back.

"How do you fight something that _eats_ planets?" Johnny asked.

"Not easily," Alice shook her head, thinking back to what the Surfer had told them.

"We have to get the board and lead it away from here before it's too late," Reed decided.

"Well, do you think the general will go for that?" Ben asked.

He did bring up a good point. As far as Alice was concerned, General Hagar wasn't going to accept anyone's plans. Especially from a bunch of _freaks_. Reed took in a deep breath and looked at everyone seriously. This was more than just a world crisis. Alice understood that now. This was a battle, a war, and they were the front line. Being the only ones to stand in the front line, defending billions of innocent lives, meant they were all putting their own lives at risk. This was a battle that Alice was more than ready for.

"He'll have no choice."

…

Doom watched with fascination as the board pulsed and rippled in the chamber it was in. A power hungry gleam showed in his eyes. Hagar seemed oblivious to the stare as Doom circled around the board.

"Thank you, General," Doom began. "But I'm afraid that sometimes… the truth is…" He paused and turned to face the general as he stood on the other side. "Reed is right."

The general opened his mouth and was ready to speak when Doom suddenly reacted. He shot the general back with lightning that sprouted from his fingertips. All three of the men that were there were quickly disabled as Doom's attention was drawn to the board once more.

…

"Hey, you, come here." Ben pointed at the guard standing in front of the door. "Let me ask you something."

…

The five of them ran down the hallway, only to find a heavy stone door flying down the hall. Sue ducked and rolled to the side across the room while Alice only just barely missed getting smashed by the stone. The last thing she wanted or needed was to deal with any broken bones.

"Awe crap," Ben grunted as the door flew straight towards him.

Sue and Alice both stood and jumped when they realized where the door was headed.

"Ben!" Johnny shouted.

Ben pushed the stone away from the wall and watched as it fell to the ground. Ben managed to pry himself off the wall while groaning in pain.

"Ow, okay, that one hurt," he moaned.

"Where's Reed?" Sue asked. She tried looking around the hallway for him.

"Back here," Reed replied in a strained voice.

Ben pulled away to reveal a very flattened looking Reed against the wall. He was pressed against the wall and was more than lucky he had his powers. The force of that smash would have killed anyone else. Alice watched warily as he pried away from the wall and returned to his normal appearance.

Sue led the way as Alice and Johnny ran after her, with Ben and Reed not far behind. The room where the board was being held was trashed. Everything was either shattered or bent. The board was gone as well. It didn't take a genius to guess who would have taken the board. Doom had probably been planning this from day one, which only added to the list of reasons why he needed to get his sorry ass kicked. He was putting everyone's life at risk by taking that board.

"Reed," Sue called.

Said scientist turned and looked where Sue was looking. Alice held back a gasp of horror when she caught sight of what was left of the general. Half his body was missing, and he was frozen in a sitting position with a pistol still in his hand. Alice had to look away as she realized who had done this. The general may have been an ass, but, he didn't deserve to die like this. Hell, she never wished death upon anyone, even her own father for being the bastard he was.

"Victor. We've got to get it back." Reed was almost too stunned to say anything else.

"We need to get the Surfer," Alice reminded them. "He's the only one who knows how the board works."

"Even if we break him out of this place, how are we gonna catch up to Victor?" Ben asked.

Alice and Reed exchanged knowing looks. The machine they had been working on would get them to Doom faster than he could blink. With all of the work Reed put into it, she was just thankful they had finished it before this madness started. Anything to gain an advantage over Doom was better than nothing, as far as she was concerned.

"Leave that to me," Reed reassured them after typing in a few codes. The others were left standing around, wondering what was happening. "Don't worry. It'll get here. Let's go get the Surfer."

Ben crashed through the wall to the room that was containing the Surfer. He looked up from the ground at the team that had gathered around him. Anger churned within Alice when she realized they'd had him strapped down to the table like he was some kind of lab rat. After fearing most of her life that something similar would happen to her, she knew that they needed to get him out of here, now.

"Halt! Don't move!" a guard yelled.

Sue raised her hand and fired up a bubble-like forcefield to keep them from attacking. The last thing anyone needed or wanted was an all-out war with the United States military. Though, Alice was beginning to think that was an impossible task, after seeing the way they treated the Surfer and the rest of the team.

"Pal, today's the luckiest day of your life," Ben said.

Alice immediately rushed forward and undid the straps that kept the Surfer restrained. She allowed the Surfer to keep one arm around her while Reed held him up with his arm. The Surfer was still weak from whatever treatment they had given him. He could barely move. Once again, Alice felt another surge of pity as she looked him over.

What surprised her more than anything was that he didn't seem to mind how cold her skin was at the touch. The Surfer just seemed more than relieved that someone had rescued him from his predicament. Not that Alice didn't blame him.

"What the hell is going on?" Frankie demanded as she stood in the hallway. Her gun was raised as she aimed it at anyone who moved. "Where is General Hagar?"

"He's dead," Reed replied.

For a moment, Frankie lost her stance. Her face paled, but only for a second before she regained her footing. Alice had to admit, Frankie certainly did a good job at holding her position. Despite that though, they needed to get past the woman in order to get to Doom and the board.

"If we don't get him out of here, we're all going to die," Alice put in, hoping that would be enough to calm Frankie down.

Unfortunately, it didn't seem to work. She knew the woman was just doing her job and following orders, but Alice suddenly wished she understood the gravity of the situation. It would make their job that much easier. It was only until Johnny spoke that Frankie had lowered her gun and let them pass.

"Frankie, she's right. The world is literally at stake here. You have to trust us," Johnny told her. "Please," he added.

Slowly, but surely, she lowered her gun and allowed them to pass by without another word. The team made their way towards the rooftop where the plane Reed had been working on would be waiting. Alice glanced at the Surfer warily. He had barely said a word since they freed him.

"It should be here by now," Reed said when they reached the roof.

"What should be here?" Ben asked. They ran through the snow until seeing something that hovered above the roof. They all gazed in wonder at the hovercraft that floated in front of them. "Holy crap!"

Johnny actually looked the most impressed with the object than anyone else. By now, he was acting more like a kid at a candy shop now. Alice almost smirked at the sight, knowing that this was something she and Reed had been working on together for some time now. She had been surprised when Reed gave her the chance to work with him on the hovercraft. When she thought back to it, she realized it was his way of spending time with her.

"Reed," he began as he ran over to it. "This is by far the coolest thing you have ever done!" Johnny did a little jump before checking the hovercraft out up close. He ran his hands along it before listening to the engine rev. Even Alice was impressed with how far Reed had gotten with it. "Hemi?" he asked, running his hand along the leather.

"Of course," Reed replied before walking over to Sue's side. She relieved him of helping the Surfer and looked at everyone. "Okay, Ben, you get inside. Johnny, you fly behind us."

Johnny shook his head.

"Ah, dude, you have to let me fly this," he said.

Alice was hardly surprised with that statement. She remembered Sue mentioning that Johnny had been a pilot in NASA before he was kicked out for crashing a shuttle. Hearing the excitement in his voice made her wonder if the same thing would happen today.

"Forget about it, I'm the best pilot here. I'm driving," Ben argued.

"Are you serious?" Johnny laughed. "We'll be lucky if this thing can carry you."

"I can fly circles around you blindfolded."

"Guys!" Sue yelled.

Alice only rolled her eyes at the sight of them arguing. This was not the time to act like children.

"You're arguing like a bunch of preschoolers," she muttered under her breath, earning looks from both Johnny and Ben.

Well, at least she was right.

"Ah, shut up!" Reed shouted, startling everyone who stood there. "And move it! I'm driving."

Ben and Johnny exchanged a glance before moving to the hovercraft. Alice and Sue helped the Surfer in one of three seats of the center section. Ben took the front and Alice sat on the Surfer's other side while Sue sat next to him. Reed walked over and helped Alice in.

"Okay, we're officially enemies of the United States of America, Victor is out there somewhere with unlimited power, and we've got a giant intergalactic force that's about to destroy our planet in less than twenty four hours. Did I miss anything?" Ben asked through the cons that linked everyone together.

"I've got a trail on Victor's energy feed," Reed announced.

Alice couldn't help but look at the Surfer when she caught him watching them. After their conversation in the cell, she knew that he wasn't the enemy they should be worrying about. His concern for his own people and the fact that Galactus was on its way only left her wondering how they would handle the situation.

This threat was bigger than anything they had ever faced, before. Ben was right about voicing his concerns over Doom. Between him, Galactus and everything else, Alice wasn't sure what was worse. All she could do now was hope and pray they made it through this without anyone getting hurt in the process.

…

Reed sped through the sky as he reached the coordinates on his screen. How the hovercraft was able to move as fast as it did, was beyond Alice's imagining. The way Reed had designed it was enough of a reminder that she still had a lot to learn about technology, and the way things worked. Johnny flew a little closer beside it as he watched them. The Surfer had finally stopped staring at Alice and was now looking ahead.

"Norrin Radd." Alice blinked when the Surfer suddenly spoke again.

"What?" Sue asked in surprise.

"I was once called, Norrin Radd," he explained.

Johnny eased back when he realized that the Surfer was actually speaking to both Sue and Alice this time. In all honesty, they weren't expecting him to speak up at all. Given the circumstances and what he had been put through, Alice didn't blame him for his refusal to speak.

"Norrin, we're gonna need your help to save our world. Do you understand?" Alice asked.

The Surfer didn't respond. But she saw images flash by again. This time, of what Norrin Radd's planet had looked like before he left. Of the life that he once had before Galactus had claimed him. She couldn't help but gasp at the sight, realizing that Norrin Radd was trusting her with visions of his own memories. The fact that he trusted her enough with such knowledge left her heart wrenching with pity. He deserved a second chance, now more than ever.

Reed was too busy focusing on the energy readings to notice the conversation happening behind him. The image of Doom's energy trail had suddenly disappeared from the screen. He shook his head in disbelief just moments before a wave of energy rocked the hovercraft. Alice held back a yelp as she was thrown against her restraints.

"Whoa, what the hell was that?" Ben asked. Reed looked over to see Doom flying towards them.

"Victor, the board is drawing the destroyer here," Reed shouted. "You have to give it up!"

"You know, I've never been the giving type," Doom replied.

Reed shouted something that Alice barely heard before trying to evade whatever Doom was trying to do to them. Alice held on for dear life and studied the screen that held the route Reed was trying to take. Johnny flipped midair to face Doom. He flew towards him at full speed, but Doom easily countered it by using the water underneath him to 'douse' him. Johnny yelled and started rolling in the air.

Doom aimed his force at the craft and created a crater under them before quickly filling it back up with water again. This caused a huge shockwave to travel through the craft and cause it to rock as it flew on.

"We're sitting ducks!" Ben yelled.

"We're gonna have to split up!" Reed shouted back.

He jammed his thumb on a red button on the console of the craft.

"What?" Sue cried out.

"Oh, this ought to be fun," Ben grumbled.

Propellers and compartments opened all around the craft. Alice watched in amazement as a controller appeared before Sue's hands, which she promptly took to fly the craft all three of them were in.

"Stay close to me, Sue!" Reed ordered.

Sue turned back; Alice was able to see that Doom had damaged the Great Wall of China with one flick of his hand. She felt her stomach twist in disgust, and she hoped that no one was around during the time of that attack. Reed was able to take precautionary measures to swerve around the bricks.

"He's really pissing me off!" Sue yelled.

"Tell me about it," Alice said with a roll of her eyes.

Another section of the wall was demolished as Doom clenched his fists together. Sue wasn't able to dodge the blast this time. Alice ground her teeth together and threw out an icy shield to keep the bricks from crushing them.

"Surf's up, metalhead!" Ben shouted.

Doom turned around in time to see Ben flying closer to him. He held his arm out and Doom ran right into it, causing him to fall off course and flip through the air. Once he was stable again, Reed flew directly up to him and hovered in the air.

"Victor, only the Surfer can stop the destroyer," Reed tried reasoning with Doom. "But he needs the board!"

His words only seemed to fly right over Doom's head.

"Come and get it, Richards," he snapped.

"Victor!" Johnny shouted.

Doom turned around to see that each pod was set in a strategic place around him with Johnny on the trail. He almost smirked as a thought crossed his mind, one devious enough to scatter the team apart within seconds.

"Let's all go for a spin!" Doom retorted.

He started spinning in the air, creating a vortex around him. Alice braced herself as a massive surge was created. Each pod was sucked into it with Johnny not too far behind. The rattling of the pod made Alice struggle to keep control of her powers.

As the pods exited the surge, they were sent hurtling in different directions and towards the brightly lit towns. Two pods crashed into the same street as they skidded across the ground. Alice ground her teeth together as she was thrown around with Sue and Norrin beside her. When the two pods had finally stopped skidding, Alice rubbed the temples along her forehead and freed herself from the restraints. Sue and Reed got out as well, only to find something missing in one of the pods. The Surfer.

Alice got out of her pod and looked around until she spotted the Surfer. He stood with a group of people surrounding him. They stared and gawked at him as he turned to face them. Alice carefully made her way over to his side. She knew that people would start looking at someone who was different as nothing more than a freak. They were already starting to pull out their phones and take pictures, assuring that the news would get wind of his presence.

The Surfer looked up to see Doom appear before him. Alice's eyes widened when she realized that a spear was forming in Doom's hand. Her body worked faster than her mind. She ran towards the Surfer and quickly pushed him out of the way.

"Catch."

The malice in Doom's voice only made her feel stronger. Alice formed an icy wall to keep herself protected. But it wasn't enough. When she tried forming the icy shield, she had a feeling that it wasn't thick enough to protect her from the spear. The spear broke through the ice in a matter of seconds. She didn't have time to react as it suddenly plunged into her chest.


	23. Part Two, Chapter Thirteen

**Part Two, Chapter Thirteen**

It took a few seconds for everyone to register what had happened. For a moment, everyone was too stunned to move. Alice barely had time for herself to register what happened. In the heat of the moment, she didn't feel any pain. Only a rush of panic when she saw what Doom was planning. It was only until after realizing that the spear plunged into her chest that she felt a streak of pain. She stood frozen for those first few seconds until hearing voices in the background.

"Alice!" Reed's shout was enough to startle everyone else from what they were doing.

The Surfer could only watch as everyone rushed over just when they realized too late what had happened. She was beginning to collapse under trembling legs when Reed reached her side, catching her just as she started to fall. White dots were already beginning to cloud her vision. She could hardly breathe while finding it impossible to focus on anything or anyone around her. Reed's expression was impossible to read as he stared at her in utter shock.

"God, no!" Johnny was the fastest out of all of them, running past Ben and Sue when they tried reaching them. "No, no, please, no!"

She hated seeing the pleading look in his eyes. They hardly had enough time to figure out what they would do after this was over. Now, they would never get the chance. Johnny desperately wanted to take hold of her hand as he slid to the ground upon reaching them. Anything was better than the agonizing realization that she wouldn't make it. She'd already lost too much blood, and even with the best medical technology, nothing would bring her back.

"Come on, Alice," Reed tried urging her.

Alice was just barely able to support herself as she noticed the others surrounding them. She winced at the sight, and the pain. It hurt just to move. The pain was excruciating, and she suddenly wondered if this was what it would feel like to die. After everything that had happened recently, maybe this was the best option she would have. Maybe death wouldn't be such a bad thing. She realized with a start that no one would have to worry about what would happen if she lost control again.

"Johnny, don't touch her," Ben warned him once they were all gathered around her.

Johnny just looked on, watching her face twist in pain from the impact of the spear. The shock of what had happened was only just beginning to kick in. After everything they had been through, he couldn't let it end like this. Not when she had only just agreed to go on a date with him. Not when there was still so much that needed to be said and done.

"No, come on, you're not going to die on us, Alice."

Not after everything she had been through. They were only just beginning to understand that her life had been hell. She couldn't leave them, not like this. Reed carefully brushed aside a lock of curly brown hair covering her face, remembering the first time they'd officially met. While she had been timid, it became obvious that she needed more than just a roof over her head. She needed a family, people who were willing to look after her and treat her with something she had lived without for years.

She finally curled to the side; Sue had to catch her before she could land on the ground. The pain was becoming too much. The white spots from earlier were beginning to cloud her vision more frequently. She could already feel the air around them getting colder and colder.

"You need to—" She choked back the words, her face scrunching up as she struggled to speak, "You need to find a way to get the board."

Her breathing became more labored with each passing second. She knew she wouldn't last much longer. Too much blood had already been lost, and they were losing valuable time. Johnny moved forward, carefully enough that he wasn't touching her. It pained him not to be able to touch her, not when he knew she was on the verge of losing her life. The cold realization that she was dying only made it that much worse.

"Okay?" she coughed, trying to fight back the stabbing pain that swept through her.

Reed's face softened when he realized that they really didn't have much time, left. He took hold of her hand, squeezing it gently.

A deep rumbling filled the air, echoing across the world and drawling the attention of bystanders watching the chaotic scene unfold. Everyone looked up to see the skies. It didn't take a genius to know that this was what the Surfer had been warning them about. This had to be Galactus.

"He is here," the Surfer confirmed their worst fears.

Dark gray storm clouds began swirling in the distance. The ominous darkness was just another reminder of what loomed beyond them. Lightning burst across the sky, illuminating the clouds as the end drew near. The Destroyer was here, and it had no intentions of leaving.

"Reed," Ben started, shifting from one foot to the other as anxiety swept through him. "Reed!"

Said man in question finally shifted his attention from Alice to Ben. They still had a world to save.

"Victor's gotta have a pulse emitter linking him to the board," he told them, "We take it out, we separate him from the board."

"He's too strong for me," Johnny admitted grudgingly.

"I could whale on him, if I could get close enough," Ben added, with equal annoyance, "But, he could see me coming from a mile away."

Reed turned to look between Alice and Sue. Seeing the state she was in only reminded him that they needed to do this. If not for the world's sake, then, for hers.

"It would take all of us," he said.

Each member of the team who could move nodded in agreement. As much as they didn't want to admit it, Reed was right.

"Or, maybe just one of us."

All at once, everyone looked at Johnny as if he was insane. Which, might have been in that one instance. After seeing the way Alice had selflessly sacrificed herself for someone she didn't even know, along with the numerous other times he'd seen her in action, this was the least he could do.

"We don't know what that could do to you," Reed warned him, clearly aware of the risks that could lead to swapping all powers at once.

"Let's not make this about me," he replied, glancing at Alice knowingly.

He knew that if the roles were reversed, and she was in his position, she would have done the same. That was who Alice was.

After a few seconds of debating Johnny's stupidity and the risks he was taking, Reed finally nodded in agreement. He had no idea what this would do to Johnny. At this point, though, anything was better than nothing. Reed set his hand over Ben's, along with Sue's. Johnny knelt down once more, looking at Alice warily.

"You're an idiot," Alice managed to choke out.

As much as it hurt to speak, she couldn't resist saying that. Seeing the playful smirk that followed gave her an odd spark of satisfaction that he understood what she meant by that.

Kneeling down once more, he captured her lips with his and placed his hand atop of everyone else's hands. The moment he did that was when he felt everyone's powers swap. Ben's structure, Reed's flexibility, Sue's ability to disappear, and, Alice's powers. Johnny blinked a few times, feeling a rush of overwhelming cold sweep through him.

It took everything he had to control that power – he realized with a start that this was what Alice meant when she said she couldn't control her powers. Even now, he could feel them threatening to overwhelm him. Now, he understood the reasons behind her evasiveness, and why she had been so terrified of being around people.

They may have swapped powers before, but, it was never anything like this. The raw savagery that came from her powers – the bitter cold and ice that threatened to overwhelm him was almost too much. Now, he understood why she struggled to maintain control, over them.

"Knock 'em dead," he heard her rasp.

Johnny couldn't hide the small smile that followed, knowing he would do that, and more. Doom was in for a nasty surprise.

…

The dark clouds of the Destroyer were beginning to flood the atmosphere like eager fingers reaching down for a last meal. It broke through the air and drifted down to the surface. The ominous presence of those clouds only signified what was about to happen. The mass of clouds began to move about as the wind picked up by the force of whatever had brought them here in the first place.

Victor stood at the top of a building, gazing down at the madness down below. The chaotic scene was enough to drawl even his attention. While he knew that this was the end of the world, that didn't even seem to faze him. That, along with the fact that the planet was about to be destroyed, because of him.

The dark clouds had begun to morph into what looked like fingers pointing down towards Earth. The ominous presence only signified what was about to happen. Swirls of clouds had begun to move about as the wind picked up.

Victor stood on top of a high building, gazing at the madness that took place down below. It didn't even seem to faze him that the planet he lived on was about to be destroyed, all because of him. He was in it for the power and the glory. The board provided just that, and so much more.

"To quote a friend of mine." Victor spun around to see Johnny appear before him. Flames seemed to dance along his body, but other than that, everything seemed relatively normal. He brushed off Johnny's attempt at grabbing his attention, aware that this was nothing more than a distraction. "It's clobbering time."

Victor only gasped as Johnny reared his fist back and punched him. The force sent him back flying, only to be jerked around so he flew into another well-aimed punch. Victor crashed into a window before regaining his balance and flying towards Johnny.

On the ground, Ben grabbed an orange sweatshirt from a rack and put it over his bare chest. He watched as Victor curled his fingers together, causing the windows in the buildings to shatter instantly. Then, he grabbed the shards of glass along with chunks of plaster that fell from the building, and launched it straight at Johnny.

Alice groaned in pain and looked up to see the destruction of the world happening far faster than she expected. The only thing that could possibly good about it was that she wasn't responsible for it. She always expected to be partly responsible for plunging the world into a second ice age.

"Thank you, for giving me a second chance at life," she managed to whisper before closing her eyes.

The pain was almost too much, but watching their expressions was far worse. Reed actually broke his facade, while Sue was fighting back tears. Her heart wrenched at the thought of leaving everyone behind. Yet, the more she thought about it, the more she realized that maybe it was better that way. The only consolation she would have was that she wouldn't run into the risks of hurting anyone.

Using the pole atop a building to his advantage, Johnny grabbed onto it and swung around, using it as a slingshot to propel him forward. Ben raced to a local crane and climbed up the latter before he yanked open the door.

Johnny fired a massive fireball at Victor than became invisible. Victor shot back with the fireball but remained relatively unharmed. The air around Victor had suddenly gotten colder than he expected. His eyes widened when he realized too late what Johnny was about to do. He wrapped himself around Victor, using Alice's powers to keep him frozen on the spot so that Victor couldn't get away. Rearing his arm back, Johnny landed four punches to Victor's metal face before he lit his entire body up with red hot flames.

Victor squirmed as he started to burn and freeze at the same time. The pulse emitter on his wrist had begun to crackle and pop as it exploded. The board fell from his feet towards the ground; it seemed as if the emitter was the reason why Victor had been able to control it in the first place.

"You ain't goin' down fighting, kid," Ben growled as he operated the crane. He managed to make his way to the control booth that operated all of the cranes. Johnny unwound himself from Victor, causing said villain to spin through the air. "Not without me."

Ben swung the wrecking ball on the crane around the bend it struck Victor square in the chest, hard. Victor was sent flying across the air and into a body of water that lay adjacent to the brightly lit city. The heavy metal that had covered his entire body now became his grave as he started sinking down into the water's inky depths.

The heavy clouds of black smoke that once pierced the air were now reaching down towards the craters that the Surfer had created. The destroyer had arrived, and was now feasting on the Earth itself. The Surfer only watched as the destroyer arrived, then turned to where Alice now lay in Reed's arms. She was barely moving now, her breathing hardly noticeable.

Ben had run over to join the group, Johnny not far behind him. He stretched his arms out to hold her, but touched Ben's shoulders instead, followed by Sue, Reed, then finally, Alice. The rush of cold air had suddenly returned to her, but at this point, it didn't matter. Reed held her tight as he remembered the first time they had met. It didn't seem real at the time, but he wished that he could have spent more time with her.

The Surfer turned his head and stretched out his arm. His board appeared around the corner as it floated in the air. The crowd gathered around them gasped in fear and awe at the sight. Once the board was in reach, the Surfer stepped onto the board one foot at a time. The once dull gray of his body had changed into a brilliant sheen of silver as his power was restored. The black clouds in the sky twisted and turned as the end became inevitable. Reed looked up at the clouds, then at the Surfer.

"You've gotta go," He said, his voice choking.

The Surfer ignored his command and knelt down so that he was level with Alice. He reached down with his hand, fingers outstretched as if he was ready to grab something. Than his face twisted with pain as if he was hurting himself. He began moving his hand down from her face to her chin, fingers almost appearing as if they were glowing. The silver on his body had started dulling into a gray, seeming to blend together. But as quickly as he started, he stopped.

He moved his hand away and slumped his shoulders, almost looking exhausted. The Surfer gasped once before looking at the team.

"Treasure each moment with her, and tell her, that she was right – we _do_ have a choice," he told them.

The Surfer spoke in a way that made it seem like those were his last words. He turned and began to fly into the air. His flight became slower and slower until he wasn't moving. The wind had become too strong for even the Surfer to move through. A sudden burst of power shocked him and he spun around to see who was pushing him forward. Johnny flew behind the board, hands touching it as he helped push the Surfer through the air.

"Thought you could use a hand," he explained with a sheepish look. The Surfer gave him what appeared to be a thankful smile before he turned and faced the task at hand. A large spinning mass swirled ahead in the sky. Johnny stopped in his tracks and let go of the board, gaping at the sight in shock. "Oh my God," he breathed out as the Surfer flew into the mass.

The black mass had begun to descend onto the craters that were created by the Surfer. Magma began to seep out of the thin crust that was meant to protect the Earth. Explosions shook the entire city as people screamed in terror. Ben watched as the lights around him shattered. Reed held Alice close to keep her protected from the spinning debris.

"Why isn't it working?" Ben asked, turning to Reed.

Reed only looked helplessly to the sky. He knew there wasn't anything they could do to stop the destroyer. Even with all of their combined powers and the Surfer, they were completely helpless. It seemed as if they'd failed, and this was the end of everything.

"We were too late," Sue replied, easing her hand into his as he squeezed it tightly.

The Surfer ducked and dipped as he avoided any debris flying towards him through the mass of black clouds. He finally arrived at what appeared to be the center of the destroyer. Funnels of moving clouds crisscrossed the area, blocking him from moving any further.

"I will no longer serve you," the Surfer announced. The black clouds had suddenly begun to glow orange, as if the destroyer had understood his lingering threat. "This is the end, for us both."

The Surfer leaned forward and held his arms out in front of them before emitting a pulse. He seemed to hesitate for a moment as he pictured the team that had saved him. Then his mind suddenly linked mentally with Alice's. She felt it, her body jerking as Reed held her tighter. Soon enough the Surfer had begun to transmit everything about his race to her mind. She saw images of his family and the world he came from, along with information on the destroyer, also known as Galactus. The information she received left her body jerking once more as he removed himself from her mind.

Finally, the Surfer stood tall and emitted a pulse that traveled through him and the board. He slowly began to close up in himself as his body glowed. The destroyer roared in defiance as the Surfer glowed. In one, final act, the Surfer stood tall and opened his arms as he accepted the fate that loomed ahead of them both. In one bright flash, the black mass collapsed on itself as the destroyer was taken out. The cloud was ended in a brilliant blue flash out into space before disappearing forever.

Reed and Sue watched in relief as the sky began to turn back into its normal shade. An eerie silence followed as the lights began flickering back on. Street lights turned on and illuminated the dark streets once more, revealing what Galactus had almost destroyed. The people slowly began crawling out of their hiding places when they realized the threat was gone. They immediately started checking to make sure their loved ones were safe.

Everything was finally back to normal. The world was safe once again. Reed looked down at Alice one last time, only to realize that her eyes were open once again. Her head was resting on the side of his arm as she looked at him.

"Hey," she whispered.

Though her body felt weak from what just happened, her eyes widened in amazement as she realized that someone had healed her injuries. She recalled the brief images flickering past her mind, and her heart sank when she understood that this had been the Surfer's gift. He'd sacrificed his own life to save the people of Earth and herself.

Reed took hold of her hand and squeezed it gently, suddenly relieved that maybe, just maybe, their lives would be back to normal, "Hi."

She struggled to stand back up, wincing at the painful throbbing in the back of her head. She supposed she should consider herself lucky, that a headache was all she suffered from, after being stabbed by a spear.

"Did I miss something?" she asked, noting that the sky was eerily calm after all of that chaos.

Everything looked as if it was back to normal. Reed only chuckled at that before kissing her affectionately on the forehead, as Sue offered support when she struggled to stand on shaky legs. She never realized until than how good it felt to actually feel mostly pain-free. The good news was, the throbbing was only temporary.

Johnny landed nearby seconds later, looking more than just relieved.

"Hey! Hey!" Ben waved his arms as he chuckled to himself.

"He did it," Johnny said, gazing at the sky.

"Great job, kid," Ben told him before patting him on the shoulder.

Johnny jumped a little before looking at Ben happily.

"Hey, I'm not changing!" he exclaimed loudly enough for everyone to hear. He touched Ben's arm again just to double check and make sure. When he didn't change, he let out a tiny whoop of joy. "This is great!" Johnny said before grabbing Ben's arm and kissing it.

Johnny then wrapped his arms around Ben in a hug. Even if it was a little strange to be hugging the man, after everything that happened, he didn't care. He was just relieved that it was all over, and hopefully things would be back to normal.

"Oh, okay," Ben said with a smirk as he threw Johnny off. "Now you're making me uncomfortable."

"Okay," Johnny replied, throwing his hands up in mock surrender.

Once it finally dawned on Alice that everything was going to be okay, she rubbed her eyes and fought back a happy smile. They'd completed their mission, and the world was safe, once more. She had every reason to feel happy, for a change. And, not just because they had saved the world.

"Thank you, for giving me a second chance," she whispered to Reed after wrapping her arms around him in a hug.

She didn't know where her life would have taken her had they not met. Reed only stared at her in disbelief, before he too returned the gesture.

The whole thing felt surreal, especially as she turned to see Johnny looking at her. The moment he reached her was when it felt as if time had stopped, just for them. Alice couldn't hide the sheepish grin that followed when their eyes met. Johnny carefully wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in close as he lifted her slightly from the ground, then, captured her lips with his. She returned the kiss without hesitation, this time. At this point, she didn't care if anyone was watching. She welcomed his warm embrace.

"You're still a hotheaded idiot," she quipped.

He couldn't hide the grin that followed when he held her close. This time, he ignored the looks everyone else gave them. Considering she'd almost died on him, he wasn't about to lose her again.

"God, I love you," he laughed, fully agreeing with her.

He kissed her once more, relishing the moment while it lasted.


	24. Part Two, Chapter Fourteen

**Part Two, Chapter Fourteen**

"So, I guess this is it," Ben started as the five of them walked down the damaged streets. The police were taking care of the people that had been effected by not only Doom, but, by the Destroyer as well. Alice hadn't missed how people were helping one another out, offering their condolences or whatever they could to make things right, again, "We all go our separate ways."

Alice chewed the bottom of her lip as her hand held onto Johnny's. Words weren't needed at that point, to describe how grateful she was to have the team by her side. Nearly dying had opened her eyes up to the realization that everything happened for a reason. That, everything would be okay in the end.

The problem was, she couldn't imagine life without the team. Sure, she could survive on her own without the help of others, now. But, the team had become her family. It meant that if she and Johnny did start dating, they would have to dance around each other cautiously. She would have to find a new apartment, and things would change dramatically between them.

It was daunting to think that their lives would change so much once this was over. Alice almost felt overwhelmed at the thought of rushing into things. But she and Johnny had already agreed to take things slowly, one step at a time. As much as he hated going slowly with any relationship, it was easier for everyone if they avoided unnecessary risks.

"No," Reed spoke up after sharing a mutual glance with Sue.

Sue's arm was wrapped around Reed's arm as they walked side-by-side. Alice hadn't missed the look of relief flashing across Sue's eyes at the mention of Reed's decision to keeping the team together. Even Sue couldn't argue with the fact that the team functioned better when they were together. After all, the team was one big family whether they wanted to admit it or not.

"No?" Ben repeated, frowning in confusion when he realized what Reed meant by that.

"No," Sue assured him, grinning at the sudden change in pace.

"No?" Johnny had to add.

Alice almost laughed at the fact that everyone had said 'no', as if to prove their point. After everything that had happened, it felt good to laugh about something.

"I think by now, 'No' means no," Alice assured the Torch as their eyes met.

"I'm just checking to make sure that we got that in writing," he laughed, pulling her in close while they walked. Alice couldn't hide the sheepish grin that followed when she realized how grateful she was that things had worked out, for them. "I mean, they could decide to change their minds in a few months."

She hadn't missed the fact that Reed, Sue and Ben had given them their space. Not that she didn't mind. If anything, it gave her time to wrap her mind around the fact that this was actually happening. Johnny had taken her by surprise with his persistence. Now, she knew he'd been telling the truth when they talked earlier at the Baxter Building.

"Something tells me that isn't going to happen, anytime soon," she murmured, glancing at Reed as he nodded in agreement.

"If it wasn't for the team, the world would be gone, by now," he explained.

"We can't walk away from our responsibilities and the people we need to protect," Sue added as if she'd read Reed's mind.

Johnny only grinned at that, nodding firmly in agreement, "That's what I've been trying to tell everyone!"

He waved his arms out in front of him as an exaggeration. Alice rolled her eyes and nudged him in the chest with her elbow. She loved Johnny. There was no denying that any longer. After hearing what Reed had to say about her powers being so similar to Johnny's, it suddenly made sense as to why they had been so hostile towards each other, in the beginning. They always said that opposites attracted, and now, she was only just beginning to realize how true that was.

"What about having a normal life; a family?" Ben pointed out, looking between Sue and Alice.

She had to admit, after hearing Sue talk with Reed about starting their family, she could understand why they wanted to pull out of this way of life. Yet, raising a child in this life wouldn't be nearly as challenging as they were probably expecting. Hell, it would be the most protected baby in the world, all things considered.

Alice felt Johnny squeeze her hand, and she couldn't help but meet his questioning gaze. If things between them went as far as she hoped, she realized _they_ would be asking the same question within a few years. The idea of starting a family was enough to leave her mind spinning.

"Who says we have to be a normal family?" Reed asked.

As if to prove his point, Reed gestured around the team. Something told Alice that no matter what happened, everything would be okay. They would always be there for each other, and, that was what mattered the most, to her.

"So, are you up for another media circus wedding?" Sue asked after wrapping her arm tighter around Reed's. Alice grimaced at the thought of having to deal with the media, again. That was the downside to this kind of life. The media would go crazy over the fact that they had gotten married in private, without their knowledge. "Fifth time's a charm."

"No," Reed chuckled with a shake of his head, already forming a plan in the back of his mind, "I've got a better idea."

…

It had only taken Reed a few hours to organize a wedding, and figure out where it would be held. Alice had to admit, she was impressed with how well he had planned everything in such a short time. Then again, he did have help thanks to Ben's quick thinking, and Johnny's charm working on getting things together so quickly.

The wedding itself was being held in a Chinese garden. The warm summer breeze was enough to remind everyone that it was quite literally, the perfect day for a wedding.

Alice stood beside Alicia, both of them dressed in Kimonos while Johnny led Sue to the arch where Reed was waiting with the Justice of Peace. She couldn't hide the smile that followed when she saw the grin written across Sue's face. She knew how much this meant to Sue – to have a wedding where it was just family members and close friends, rather than be surrounded by people she didn't know.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join Reed Richards and Susan Storm—" The minister was speaking until a loud beeping noise had stopped him. "In holy.… matri—"

Sue leaned over and looked at the PDA.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Venice is sinking into the Adriatic," Reed explained with a shake of his head.

"Oh boy, that's a biggie," Ben grunted as he stood there.

Being the ring bearer, he'd kept them in his pockets for safe keeping until the minister asked for them.

Sue turned to look at the minister before using the exact lines Reed had used during their last ceremony.

"Can you please skip to the end?" she asked.

Reed looked at Sue in shock. He never expected her to suggest such a thing. Now that Sue had finally accepted that they all had a responsibility to the team, things were running smoothly between them. Alice couldn't hide the smirk that followed when she realized how they really did make the perfect couple.

"Yeah, uh – the love these two share—"

"No, the very end," Reed stopped him short.

By now, Alice was smothering a fit of laughter as she caught the look written across the minister's face. She had to bury her face into Johnny's sleeve to keep herself from laughing out loud. He managed to keep himself more together, but, even he was struggling not to laugh at the scene unfolding before them.

The poor minister had probably written a speech and everything, only to have it ruined by this one incident. She doubted this was something that he had to deal with on a daily basis. Then again, dealing with a team of superheroes wasn't something that people did on a daily basis.

"Yeah, great," the minister said after trying to recover from his initial surprise, "Uh, do you have the rings?"

"Oh, that's me!" Ben exclaimed as he dug into his jacket and pulled out the two rings in question.

He held them out to Reed, and he smiled at Ben thankfully before accepting them. Once he took the rings, he turned back to Sue, who had handed the bouquet to Alice before facing Reed. The two smiled warmly at each other, and slipped on their rings for each other.

Awkward silence followed as they turned and looked at the minister expectantly.

"Oh, uh, I now pronounce you husband and wife, and you may now kiss the bride," he said after ducking his head in embarrassment.

The audience gathered before them cooed and applauded when Reed and Sue kissed. Alicia leaned further into Ben, while Alice wrapped her arms around Johnny's arm. She hadn't missed the rush of emotions sweeping through Sue in that one moment. She'd finally gotten what she desired more than anything. Alice couldn't be happier for Sue, especially when she thought of everything the woman had done for her.

"Okay," Sue whispered, still basking with joy at the fact that she and Reed were finally married, "We should probably get going."

"Yeah," Reed agreed fullheartedly with her.

The two newlyweds ran down the aisle, Sue picking up her dress as she ran towards the hovercraft parked at the end.

"Gotta go, hon," Ben said as he kissed Alicia on the lips before climbing into the hovercraft.

Alice took his place and gave Alicia a hug, thankful to have the woman in her life.

"Keep yourself safe, and be back soon!" Alicia called as they left.

Alice tried not to laugh as she reached the hovercraft herself, with Johnny by her side. Johnny stepped beside her and opened the door to the hovercraft, and the huge grin written across his face said it all. She knew they still had a date to attend, after this was all said and done. Though, she could technically consider this a date, if she wanted to.

"You are beautiful," he whispered after kissing her.

"Thank you, for everything," she whispered back, struggling not to feel overwhelmed by the rush of emotions that suddenly swept through her.

Sue suddenly stopped mid-run after they reached the hovercraft, a gleam in her eyes as she turned to face Reed, "I have to throw the bouquet," she whispered.

Reed smiled as Sue leaned back and suddenly tossed the bouquet in question. The women who were part of the wedding had rushed over to grab whatever flowers they could. Sue held back a laugh as the bouquet was ready to land, only to freeze solid. The women looked like they were ready to fight for it until Johnny suddenly set the flowers on fire. Alice tried not to laugh at their disappointed faces as Johnny held out a single flower in front of her.

"For you, my lady," he said with a sheepish smirk. The women surrounding them all frowned at Johnny's odd behavior, but Alice couldn't help but grin back at him. Inside, she was dying from laughter at their reactions when they couldn't catch the bouquet, only to have the last flower from it given to her. "Sorry, reflex," he said with a shrug to the now angry women. "I love you," he added as Alice sat down in the middle console.

"Love you too, hothead," she replied with a smirk.

"Would you two quit acting like a couple of lovesick puppies?" Ben groaned, already having had enough with the way they were acting.

The look on his face said everything Alice needed to know. Even if he couldn't get used to the fact that she and Johnny had kissed, and could technically consider themselves a couple, she would never get tired of it. It only proved that Johnny really did have a heart, and, that he was a big softie.

Once the hovercraft took off into the air, the children all began to laugh and cheer as snow started falling around them. With it being a warm summer day, the snow was a welcomed presence among the children. She couldn't hide the grin that followed when she noticed the kids playing in the snow; either building snowmen, or snow angels in the process.

A trail of smoke followed the hovercraft as Johnny flew behind it. The three sections suddenly split apart. As the three pods flew away, the Fantastic Five logo shone bright in the sky, showing everyone that they were safe from whatever threats loomed ahead of them.

* * *

 **AN: And, this marks the end of this story. I actually do have somewhat of a sequel planned for this... it will mostly be a series of one-shots revolving around Alice and her life spent with the rest of the team, seeing as there's still a lot of character development that could be made. Of course, when I first had this planned out, I originally wanted to include the Avengers and all of that fun stuff, but, then I scrapped that idea... I'm not even sure if readers are actually enjoying this or not, given the lack of reviews. But, I'm not giving up on writing. Thanks to anyone who did read this!**


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